Search under way after ferry capsizes off Guyana with 116 aboard
Guyana officials said 53 people had been rescued after the MV Barima overturned near Iron Punt on a trip from Georgetown to Port Kaituma.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
2 min read
Rescue teams in Guyana were searching for dozens of people after a ferry carrying 116 passengers and crew capsized off the country’s coast, authorities said. The accident triggered a late-night emergency response involving the coastguard and private boats.
The vessel, the MV Barima, sent a distress call at about 11 p.m. Saturday local time, or 03:00 GMT Sunday, according to authorities cited by AFP. It overturned near Iron Punt while travelling from Georgetown, Guyana’s capital, to Port Kaituma.
Prime Minister Mark Phillips told AFP on Sunday that 53 people had been rescued. Based on the number aboard and the rescue figure given by Phillips, dozens of people were still unaccounted for as the search continued.
Phillips said officials expected more rescues as daylight improved conditions for the operation, AFP reported. Authorities did not immediately say whether any deaths had been confirmed.
Coastguard and private vessels involved
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said Guyana’s coastguard and private vessels were taking part in the search and rescue effort. He said in a video posted on Facebook that a medical team was being sent to the area so survivors could receive treatment as they were brought out of the water.
Edghill said the ferry had about 250 life jackets, eight lifeboats and other safety equipment on board. He did not say whether that equipment had been deployed before or after the vessel capsized.
“There is an active search and rescue operation that is taking place, and we pray for the safety of all,” Edghill said in the Facebook video.
Authorities had not immediately explained what caused the MV Barima to capsize. No details were provided on weather, sea conditions, cargo, or the condition of the vessel at the time of the distress call.
The ferry had been travelling between two points in Guyana, a South American country where river and coastal transport connect remote communities with the capital. Port Kaituma lies in the country’s northwest, while Georgetown sits on the Atlantic coast.
Officials said the priority remained finding survivors and getting medical help to those rescued. Further information on the missing, the condition of the rescued passengers and crew, and the cause of the accident was not immediately available.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.