At least ten dead after ferry disaster off Guyana

Georgetown – 20 July 2026: At least ten people have died after the passenger and cargo ferry MV Barima capsized off Guyana’s Essequibo coast. Authorities continued searching for further missing persons on Monday using ships, helicopters and other aircraft. According to the government, 67 people have been rescued so far. How many people were actually on board remains unclear.

The ferry was travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in northwestern Guyana on Saturday, 18 July. A distress call was received at around 11 p.m. The vessel capsized near the mouth of the Pomeroon River, about seven miles offshore. The passenger manifest initially used listed 116 passengers and 17 crew members, a total of 133 people.

However, this figure is now considered uncertain. Prime Minister Mark Phillips said that at least 32 of the 67 people rescued were not listed on the passenger manifest. This has heightened suspicions that the ferry was carrying more people than officially recorded. The actual number of missing persons therefore cannot be reliably determined from the original list.

The government launched a comprehensive investigation. It is intended to clarify the accuracy of the passenger manifest, the loading of the vessel, compliance with safety regulations and the conduct of the crew before departure. According to authorities, the captain and at least one other crew member are in police custody after testing positive for drugs. This does not yet establish criminal liability.

Transport Minister Juan Edghill initially reported that survivors attributed the capsizing to a large wave. Later, however, possible organizational shortcomings also came into focus. According to the government, the vessel had 250 life jackets and several life rafts. Whether this equipment could be deployed adequately and whether the condition of the ship contributed to the disaster are subjects of the investigation.

The disaster is of particular significance for Guyana because ferries provide essential transport links in the sparsely populated, heavily forested country. Communities in the northwest near the Venezuelan border in particular depend on waterways, as road connections are limited in many areas. President Irfaan Ali travelled to Mabaruma to meet survivors and relatives. The recovered dead are to be identified at the hospital in Charity.

The MV Barima is among the older vessels operated by the state transport and harbour service and regularly serves the route to the indigenous communities of the Barima-Waini region. According to the government, the ship underwent a comprehensive overhaul in 2024, with further major work scheduled for October. The rescue operation remains the priority, while investigators must determine whether the disaster was caused by weather, technical defects or operational failures.