July 20 (UPI) — A ferry carrying 133 passengers and crew members capsized off the coast of Guyana, where authorities continued searching Monday for dozens of missing people while investigating possible irregularities in the vessel’s operation.
The MV Barima departed Georgetown on Saturday afternoon bound for Port Kaituma, a remote community in the country’s northwest that is primarily accessible by sea and river.
According to the official manifest, the vessel was carrying 116 passengers, 17 crew members and some 268 tons of cargo when it issued a distress signal about 11 p.m., Prime Minister Mark Phillips said.
By midday Sunday, rescue teams had saved 67 people, including 41 men, 11 women and 15 children, while the search continued across an area expanded to more than 385 square miles with support from the Guyana Defence Force, the Coast Guard, other government agencies and local fishermen, according to the government.
As rescue efforts progressed, authorities discovered several of the people found alive were not listed on the ferry’s official manifest.
In addition, two crew members tested positive for cannabis during medical examinations conducted after the accident, Phillips said.
After those findings, the government ordered a joint investigation by the Guyana Police Force, the Guyana Defence Force, the Maritime Administration Department and technical experts to determine the cause of the capsizing.
The investigation will examine the accuracy of the manifest, the cargo being transported, compliance with maritime safety regulations and the actions of the captain and crew before and during the trip.
As part of the initial measures, authorities removed the entire team responsible for the MV Barima’s cargo, dispatch and operational management from their duties to preserve the integrity of the investigation and prevent any interference with the evidence, Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said.
Edghill said the Guyana Police Force had obtained security camera footage from Kingston Goods Wharf, from which the ferry departed, to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the accident.
“Where negligence, misconduct or criminal acts are established, those responsible will face the full force of the law,” Phillips said in a statement.
Edghill described it as “criminal” that some passengers were not listed on the official passenger manifest, saying the situation makes it difficult to determine how many people were actually on board, local outlet Kiskadee Watch reported.
He said the captain and two other crew members remain in custody while the investigation continues.
Some survivors also said the vessel was overloaded and that crew members had been drinking alcohol and smoking before the accident, according to Kiskadee Watch.
Authorities initially maintained that the MV Barima had been operating within authorized limits. According to the official manifest, the ferry had capacity for more than 300 passengers and 284 tons of cargo, and it was carrying 268 tons at the time of the accident.
The government also said the vessel completed its mandatory maintenance in 2024 and was operating with new engines.
As search and rescue operations continue, assistance centers remain open for relatives in Georgetown, Port Kaituma and Mabaruma, where authorities are providing official information, psychological support and other services to those affected.