Dozens missing after Guyana ferry sinks; 67 rescued

A ferry carrying 116 passengers and crew sank off the coast of Guyana late Saturday night, leaving dozens missing and prompting a large-scale search-and-rescue operation. Officials confirmed that 67 people, including 15 children, have been rescued so far in what is being described as one of the country's worst maritime disasters.

Rescue efforts intensify

The MV Barima departed Georgetown, the capital of this English-speaking South American nation, at around 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, bound for Port Kaituma in the oil-rich Essequibo region near the Venezuelan border. A distress call was received shortly after 11 p.m., activating an emergency response involving the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard and Air Corps, private aircraft, fishing vessels, and civilian volunteers. By Sunday, the search area had been expanded from 400 square kilometers to 1,070 square kilometers, with additional aircraft and vessels deployed alongside local fishermen familiar with the waters, said Prime Minister Mark Phillips in a statement.

Survivors recount harrowing ordeal

Among the survivors, Adam Matabheek recalled noticing the vessel listing several hours before it capsized. “We dismissed it as rough water and went to sleep,” he said. Moments later the ferry rolled over, throwing him into the water. He managed to grab a lifejacket and drifted through the night. His wife, Carlita Matabheek, who cannot swim, became trapped inside the overturned vessel before a lifejacket fell within her reach. “I started to pray,” she said. After calling for her husband in the darkness, she felt someone tugging at her hair. “It was Adam,” she said. The couple and Adam’s younger brother Nathaniel spent the night drifting until rescuers found them after daybreak. “God cleared the skies and saved us,” Carlita said. However, their relief was tempered by tragedy: Nathaniel’s wife, Rachel Welch, and their three children—Nathaniel Jr., 8, Natalia, 5, and Ezekiel, 3—remain among the missing. According to the family, Rachel was thrown from her hammock as the ferry capsized and tried desperately to reach her children before they disappeared into the water.

Another survivor, Loureen Singh, a trader who regularly travels to Port Kaituma to sell clothing, survived by holding on to the same lifejacket as Carlita after telling her she could swim “a little.” The two women remained together throughout the night until they were rescued.

Investigation and vessel details

Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill said preliminary investigations indicate the vessel was operating within legal limits. “There was no engine problem or any mechanical problem. It had nothing to do with overload. It had to do with the tide,” Edghill told local reporters. He noted that the MV Barima was certified to carry 397 passengers and 284 tonnes of cargo. Its manifest showed it was transporting 268 tonnes of cargo, below its authorized capacity. The ship was equipped with 250 lifejackets, two lifeboats, and six inflatable rafts.

Ongoing search and community response

The 67 survivors include 41 men, 11 women, and 15 children. As the search continues, authorities are coordinating with local fisherfolk and expanding the search area. The disaster has shaken the small country, highlighting the risks of maritime travel in the region. Officials have not yet confirmed the cause of the sinking, but the focus remains on finding the missing and supporting the survivors. The incident is expected to prompt a review of safety protocols for passenger ferries operating in Guyana's waters.