Guyana reports ferry disaster death toll rises to 41

What the report says

Al Jazeera, citing AFP, reported that Guyanese authorities have increased the confirmed death toll from the MV Barima ferry disaster to at least 41 after search teams recovered 14 more bodies. The ferry capsized at sea on Saturday night while travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, in the Essequibo region. Officials had previously reported 27 deaths, and 77 people have been rescued.

Authorities said the search remains active for dozens still unaccounted for. The government has deployed 16 vessels to the wreckage area, with local and French divers involved in the operation. Public Works Minister Juan Edghill described the sinking as Guyana’s worst maritime disaster in decades and said the government was working to find those missing.

Officials have said the ferry was carrying 179 people, although its passenger manifest listed only 133, raising questions about record-keeping and possible overcrowding. Authorities have also identified possible crew drug use as a factor under investigation. Police said the captain and at least one crew member were detained after testing positive for marijuana, according to the report.

The MV Barima was built in 1939, according to the shipping site VesselFinder, as cited in the article. The route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma typically involves coastal waters before continuing inland by river through Guyana’s rainforest region. The disaster is significant for Guyana because of the scale of loss, the number still missing, and the scrutiny it places on maritime safety and passenger controls in remote transport links.