CHARITY, Guyana — A grandmother who survived the sinking of a Guyanese ferry over the weekend says she lost four of her grandchildren in the disaster, describing a vessel that went under in what felt like an instant.
“I was fighting for my life. The boat sunk in minutes, seconds,” said Helena Moonsammy, recounting how boxes fell on her as she desperately tried to reach her grandchildren. “I told my grandbabies to cling on to anything as I hollered for them. I prayed all night and was in the water for nine hours.”
The MV Barima, an 87-year-old ferry, went down late Saturday off the Essequibo coast during a voyage from the capital, Georgetown, to Port Kaituma in northwestern Guyana, near the Venezuelan border. At least 69 people have been pulled to safety, while 27 bodies have been recovered — four of them children — according to Prime Minister Mark Phillips. He warned that the final death toll is expected to climb significantly.
Although the ship’s official manifest recorded 116 passengers and 17 crew members, authorities now believe the actual number of people on board may have been as high as 179, Phillips said. An investigation into the capsizing is currently underway.
President Irfaan Ali addressed the nation, urging citizens to prepare for a somber period ahead. “Brace yourself for the coming days,” he said. “It is going to be a difficult period for us as a people and as a country. May God watch over Guyana and bring us through this horrible experience.”
Moonsammy was among many friends and family members of the missing who gathered at a hospital in the coastal town of Charity to identify their loved ones. Wearing a facemask like many of those around her, she said simply: “I have to see the bodies before I go home.”
Investigators have confirmed that the ferry’s captain and at least one other crew member tested positive for marijuana following the incident. Both remain in police custody as part of the ongoing criminal inquiry.
Neighboring countries have contributed boats, spotter aircraft, and rescue teams to the effort, including a group of divers from French Guiana. Officials indicated they are preparing to shift from an active rescue operation to a recovery mission.
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill announced that all staff involved in the management and loading of the MV Barima have been suspended. Authorities suspect that additional passengers and cargo were placed on the vessel without being recorded on the official manifest.
The practice of ticket clerks quietly selling seats to friends and associates for cash — without registering them — has been a longstanding complaint among passengers and is said to have persisted for decades at state-operated ferry terminals.
The MV Barima had undergone dry-docking and an overhaul in 2024 and was scheduled to undergo major repairs in October.
