GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The government of Guyana is facing mounting pressure to explain how a state-operated ferry came to sink over the weekend, claiming the lives of an estimated 100 people, as officials urge an increasingly angry public to wait for the results of a formal investigation.
Of the 179 passengers believed to have been on board when the vessel went down, 76 are confirmed to have survived what is now considered the worst maritime disaster in the South American country’s history. By Wednesday, 53 bodies had been pulled from the water, with divers still searching for 50 more victims.
In the northern town of Charity, crowds of grieving relatives continued to gather, holding out hope that the remains of their missing family members would be brought to shore.
Among them was Samantha Ramin, a mother who lost two of her three children in the tragedy. Crews managed to recover the body of her young daughter, but her baby boy has not yet been found.
“I know my baby is in that boat,” she said. “I know he is down there. I know he is down there. I want to see them find my baby.”
The vessel, known as the MV Barima, was 87 years old. It departed the capital, Georgetown, on Saturday, bound for Port Kaituma, when it began taking on water and capsized in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo coast. While the ship’s official manifest recorded 116 passengers and 17 crew members, authorities now believe the actual number of people on board was closer to 179.
Many Guyanese are questioning why rescue efforts took so long to reach those in the water. Several survivors who spoke with The Associated Press said they were left struggling in the ocean for hours before help arrived.
Survivors have also raised concerns that the ferry was carrying far more people and cargo than it should have been. Reported items on board included heavy-duty engines, several vehicles, large fuel containers, all-terrain vehicles, and commercial goods.
One survivor, identified as Leon Murray, said the vessel felt noticeably more crowded than the many other times he had traveled on it.
“The people load, load, load the steamer,” Murray told reporters. “It was packed, packed, packed all downstairs.”
Murray and fellow survivors also said the ferry experienced engine trouble not long after leaving port, but instead of turning back, crew members made repairs while still underway. He further alleged that when passengers raised concerns about water getting into the vessel, crew members dismissed them, saying, “This is normal.”
Government officials, however, are pushing back on claims that the ferry was overloaded, saying it was within capacity for both passengers and cargo. They acknowledged that conflicting accounts make it difficult to draw firm conclusions at this stage.
Maritime Agency Director Stephen Thomas told the AP that a thorough investigation would be needed to determine how the vessel was loaded and what role supervisory staff may have played in the disaster before any judgments are made.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips addressed reporters late Tuesday, insisting his administration has nothing to conceal.
“We have nothing to hide,” he said. “People will be held responsible based on the outcome, the results and the recommendations of that commission.”
He continued: “Where negligence, misconduct or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law. There will be no exceptions and no tolerance for actions that place innocent lives at risk.”
Police have already detained the ship’s captain, who survived, along with at least one other crew member. Authorities say both individuals tested positive for marijuana.
When asked why an 87-year-old vessel was still being used for passenger service, the government explained that it had been waiting on the construction of a new pier at Port Kaituma to accommodate a replacement ship — a $12.7 million vessel recently acquired from India — before retiring the MV Barima. Officials say that construction project is nearly complete.
Records show the MV Barima underwent major repairs during a dry-docking in 2024 and had been scheduled for additional maintenance work this coming October.
