Rescue teams and volunteers continue searching after the MV Barima sank off Guyana’s coast during an overnight voyage.
The death toll from the sinking of the MV Barima ferry off the coast of Guyana has risen to 70, while 33 people remain missing, authorities said on Thursday. Seventy-six passengers were rescued after the vessel sank on Saturday night during a voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma.
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The ferry departed Georgetown at 3:15 p.m. local time on Saturday carrying 179 people, according to the government’s latest figures. Officials initially reported that 133 passengers were on board but revised the total to 179 on Monday after reviewing port surveillance footage.
The vessel was traveling the approximately 16-hour route along Guyana’s North Atlantic coast when it ran into trouble. The Timheri control tower received a distress call at 11:01 p.m. local time, triggering an immediate emergency response, the Ministry of Public Works said.
Text Reads: Guyanese authorities reported that 70 bodies have been recovered, 76 passengers were rescued alive, and 33 remain missing after the sinking of the MV Barima ferry. The accident occurred on the night of July 18, as the vessel was traveling between Georgetown and Port Kaituma, a journey of approximately 16 hours across the North Atlantic.
The Guyanese government initially reported that 133 people were on board, but on Monday the number rose to 179 after a review of port security camera footage. The MV Barima was equipped with 250 life jackets and six inflatable rafts, in accordance with safety requirements for that route.
Search operations have continued for several days, with local fishermen joining coast guard crews in the effort to recover victims and locate those still missing. Fisherman Delon Marcus said he recovered seven bodies during the operation.
Relatives of passengers have gathered in Charity, on the Essequibo coast near the Pomeroon River, where authorities established a reception center to assist families and support the identification of recovered bodies.
Among those affected is Kimon Benn, who said he identified the body of his 47-year-old sister, Marcy Beharry, while his seven-year-old nephew, Jason Headley, remains missing. Beharry traveled to Georgetown every three months for lupus treatment and to purchase merchandise for her small shop.
The disaster has also devastated the Moonsammy family. Eight children were traveling with their grandmother, Elena Moonsammy, who survived along with three of her grandchildren. Five of the children remain missing. Samantha Ramit, the mother of four of the missing children, said they had been traveling to spend the August holidays in Region 1.
Opposition leader Azurdin Mohamed joined fishermen and coast guard personnel in the rescue effort and contributed his own resources to support the emergency response. He said the advanced state of decomposition of many recovered bodies would require DNA testing to confirm their identities.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips said many of the recovered victims have yet to be identified because their names do not appear on the official passenger manifest.
Authorities said the MV Barima was equipped with 250 life jackets and six inflatable life rafts, meeting the safety requirements for the route. The Georgetown-Port Kaituma service is one of Guyana’s two most affordable transport options for both passengers and cargo.
Recovery and identification efforts remain underway as authorities continue searching for the 33 people still missing while families await news of their loved ones.
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