Guyana’s government announced Monday that 10 bodies have been pulled from the water following the weekend capsizing of a ferry that had 133 people on board when it went down.
The vessel, identified as the MV Barima, went under late Saturday evening while making its way from the nation’s capital, Georgetown, to the remote northwest village of Port Kaituma. By Sunday, rescue crews had pulled 67 survivors from the water — among them 15 children — but many passengers are still unaccounted for.
Search and rescue operations have since been expanded to cover an area of 1,040 square kilometers, or roughly 401 square miles. Private vessels from the energy sector, along with divers, are assisting in the effort.
Officials have pointed to two possible contributing factors in the disaster: an inaccurate passenger manifest and suspected drug use among the crew. The ship’s captain and at least one other crew member have been taken into police custody after testing positive for marijuana.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips has opened a formal investigation into whether institutional failures played a role in the tragedy. He pledged that any individuals found responsible for negligence or misconduct would face legal consequences.
