Guyana opens criminal probe into ferry disaster as searches continue

Rescue crews kept combing the waters near Iron Punt after the MV Barima capsized on its run from Georgetown to Port Kaituma, while Guyana opened a criminal investigation into how the ferry overturned. The disaster has turned quickly into a test of accountability, with officials examining whether overloading, maintenance failures, poor emergency procedures or other negligence helped bring the vessel down.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips said the ferry’s manifest listed 116 passengers, 17 crew members and about 268 tonnes of cargo, but later authorities said at least 32 of the 67 people rescued were not on that list. Other reporting placed the number of rescued passengers absent from the manifest at 35, deepening doubts about who was actually aboard when the vessel sent a distress call around 11 p.m. Saturday.

The mismatch has sharpened attention on the possibility that the MV Barima was carrying far more people than records showed. Phillips said the total aboard may have reached as many as 179, a figure far above the manifest and one that would raise urgent questions about whether loading rules were ignored before the ferry left port.

Search teams have recovered bodies as well as survivors in the hours since the capsize. Reuters reported 10 bodies recovered on July 20, then 27 bodies by July 21, before later death toll updates reached 41 and then 53. At least 67 people were rescued early in the operation, including 15 children, but crews continued searching the river and surrounding area for anyone still missing.

The probe widened further after the captain and first engineer were arrested following drug tests that reportedly indicated narcotics or cannabis use, adding another possible layer of criminal negligence to the case. Investigators are expected to examine the vessel’s maintenance history as well: reports said the MV Barima had maintenance in 2024 and was due for dry docking later in 2026.

The ferry ran on a vital transport corridor in northwest Guyana, where river travel remains essential for communities with few reliable road links. That makes the safety review likely to reach beyond one vessel, and into how Guyana enforces passenger manifests, inspects ferries and responds when an overloaded boat fails on a route that many residents depend on every day. The disaster has already been described as Guyana’s worst marine tragedy in decades.