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At least 53 people have died after a passenger ferry capsized off the coast of Guyana, as rescuers continued searching for survivors following one of the country’s deadliest maritime disasters in recent years.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips confirmed on Tuesday that the death toll had risen to 53 after additional bodies were recovered from the waters.
“A total of 53 bodies have been recovered,” Phillips told a press conference, adding that 76 people had been rescued as of 6:00 pm local time.
The MV Barima overturned on Saturday night while travelling from the capital, Georgetown, to Port Kaituma in Guyana’s inland Essequibo region. A distress call was received about eight hours after the ferry had departed on its journey.
Search and rescue operations began early Sunday, with emergency teams recovering survivors and victims from the accident site.
Authorities initially struggled to determine the exact number of passengers on board because of discrepancies in the vessel’s passenger manifest.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said the original passenger list recorded only 133 people, but investigations later found the ferry had been carrying around 179 passengers and crew when it capsized.
The government has launched an investigation into the cause of the disaster.
Prime Minister Phillips said two crew members tested positive for marijuana following the accident, although authorities have not yet determined whether drug use contributed to the tragedy.
Officials are also examining the condition of the vessel, which was built in 1939, making it more than eight decades old. According to maritime tracking website VesselFinder, the MV Barima was one of the oldest vessels still operating passenger services in the country.
The route to Port Kaituma requires vessels to travel across coastal waters before entering river channels leading into Guyana’s remote northwestern rainforest, making maritime transport an essential link for isolated communities.
The ferry disaster has shocked the South American nation, prompting an outpouring of grief as families continue to await news of missing relatives.
Authorities have pledged to continue search efforts while investigators examine the vessel, crew conduct and passenger records to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Guyana, an English-speaking country on the northeastern coast of South America, has in recent years gained global attention following major offshore oil discoveries. It is also engaged in a long-running territorial dispute with neighbouring Venezuela over the resource-rich Essequibo region, where the ferry was headed when the accident occurred.