Three full days of coordinated search, rescue and recovery operations involving Guyana’s coast guard, private boat operators and local fishermen have pushed the confirmed death toll from the capsizing of the MV Barima ferry to 103, with 77 people rescued alive from the disaster, according to official updates from the government.
The latest fatality count follows the recovery of 22 additional bodies recovered on the third day of response to the maritime tragedy, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill announced during a press briefing confirming the updated casualty and rescue figures.
The deadly incident has triggered fierce public and political backlash, with widespread demands for Minister Edghill’s resignation from his cabinet post. Opposition political groups including WIN, APNU, FGM and VPAC have accused the national government of systemic failures and leadership negligence, arguing that ministerial accountability must extend beyond the low-level staff directly involved in the MV Barima’s operations. Calls for resignation have also been extended to Public Utilities and Aviation Minister Deodat Indar and MARAD Director Stephen Thomas. In a preliminary administrative move ahead of a full formal investigation, the government placed the entire management team responsible for cargo loading and safety oversight of the MV Barima on administrative leave on Monday.
Responding to the opposition’s demands during a press conference, Prime Minister Mark Phillips asserted that any decisions on ministerial removals fall exclusively under the authority of the presidency. He dismissed the criticism as “noise”, emphasizing that the national priority must remain focused on ongoing search, rescue and recovery efforts. Phillips also noted that the government has already collaborated with opposition parties on response operations, and called for calm and stability across the country.
After the coordinates of the sunken wreck were confirmed, search and recovery operations have been significantly expanded. Currently, 16 vessels from both government and private sectors are deployed across a search area expanded to 2,100 square kilometers, extending all the way to the Waini Point region, in a bid to increase the chances of locating any remaining survivors.
French and local divers are currently conducting underwater operations around the wreck site. While one body has been identified inside the capsized vessel, challenging conditions have so far prevented recovery teams from retrieving it. Additional divers, including specialist salvage experts from Trinidad and Brazil, are expected to arrive imminently to speed up recovery work.
All search and recovery activities are coordinated and supported by the Guyana Coast Guard and other relevant state agencies. Authorities have confirmed that all recovered remains are immediately transferred to police at a dedicated staging facility at the Charity River Dam, to support identification efforts. To support bereaved family members, special flights are being operated to transport people from remote inland communities to hospital facilities to formally identify deceased loved ones, with the process supported by Minister of Health Frank Anthony and his team. As of the latest update, 44 recovered bodies have been formally identified, and 23 of those have already been released to their families for burial.
Opposition leader Azruddin Mohamed has issued scathing criticism of the government’s handling of the ferry sector and the disaster response, pointing to inconsistent passenger manifests, documented overloading of the vessel, and longstanding negligence within the responsible ministry. He has repeated calls for Minister Edghill’s immediate resignation, describing the MV Barima tragedy as one of the worst national disasters Guyana has faced since the 1978 Jonestown mass killing.
Mohamed also claimed that required maintenance for the aging ferry was repeatedly delayed despite allocated budget for the work, and that internal disputes over service contracts had compromised safety oversight. The MV Barima was 90 years old at the time of its capsizing, and should have been decommissioned years ago due to safety concerns, according to the opposition leader.
In response to the tragedy, President Irfaan Ali has declared three days of national mourning, and has pledged to launch a full, transparent investigation into every aspect of the disaster. The president affirmed that the government’s top priorities remain saving any remaining lives, supporting impacted families and communities, and delivering full, clear answers to relatives of those lost in the incident.