A passenger ferry carrying 116 people began sinking off the coast of Guyana, triggering a major search and rescue operation. At least 53 people have been rescued after the MV Barima sent a distress call late on Saturday during a voyage from Georgetown to Port Kaituma.
Guyana’s coast guard received the alert at around 11pm local time and responded alongside private vessels. Prime Minister Mark Phillips said the search and rescue operation would continue in daylight and that he expected the number of rescued people to rise.
Juan Edghill, a government minister, said medical teams had been sent to the area to care for survivors brought ashore by the coast guard and other rescue vessels. The cause of the sinking has not been confirmed.
The incident has raised fresh concern about travel by sea in Guyana, where rivers and coastal routes remain vital links for many communities. The MV Barima serves a regular route between Georgetown and Port Kaituma, carrying both passengers and cargo to settlements in the North West District.
Edghill said the ferry was equipped with 250 life jackets, two rigid life rafts and six inflatable life rafts. The vessel was built in 1939 and is around 40 metres long, according to the maritime tracking website VesselFinder.
The rescue effort involved the coast guard and private boats as crews searched for the remaining passengers and crew. Officials have not said how many people were still unaccounted for, and the operation was continuing.
Search and rescue operations in remote waters can be difficult because of darkness, weather and the distance between settlements. In this case, authorities said the response began soon after the distress call, with more rescues expected as daylight improved visibility.
The MV Barima is one of the key passenger ferries serving Guyana’s river and coastal transport network. Such services are often essential for communities with limited road access, making safety standards and emergency preparedness a major public concern.
Phillips shared an update and photos of the rescue operation on Facebook as officials coordinated the response. The government has not yet released further details about the passengers on board, their nationalities or any fatalities.
The search remained the top priority as rescuers worked through the night and into the morning. Authorities said they would continue checking the area until they were confident all passengers had been accounted for.
Photo credit: Prime Minister Mark Phillips / Facebook
