MV Barima Ferry Disaster off Guyana’s Coast

Late on July 18, 2026, the state-run passenger ferry MV Barima capsized in the Atlantic while en route from Georgetown to Port Kaituma. The vessel sank within minutes, prompting a large-scale search and rescue effort.

At least 27 dead, 83 missing after Guyana ferry sinks The Jerusalem PostDeath Toll Hits 27 as Crew Arrested in Devastating Guyana Ferry Capsize South China Morning Post27 dead, 83 missing from capsized Guyana ferry, says PM People Magazine27 dead, 83 missing as passenger ferry capsizes in Guyana Tragedy Strikes As 27 Confirmed Dead, 83 Missing After Guyana Ferry Capsizes Guyana Ferry Disaster: 27 Dead, 179 Feared Aboard Guyana Ferry Capsizes: 27 Dead, 83 Remain Missing

• July 18 – MV Barima overturns; distress signal sent.

At least 27 dead, 83 missing after Guyana ferry sinks

• July 19 – Authorities confirm the call; initial reports cite 116 passengers and 17 crew.

Tragedy Strikes As 27 Confirmed Dead, 83 Missing After Guyana Ferry Capsizes

• July 20 – Rescue teams recover 67–69 survivors; bodies of 27 victims are recovered; French divers arrive.

27 dead, 83 missing as passenger ferry capsizes in Guyana

• July 21 – Prime Minister Mark Phillips announces 27 deaths, 83 missing, and about 179 aboard.

27 dead, 83 missing as passenger ferry capsizes in Guyana

• Dead: 27 confirmed.

27 dead, 83 missing as passenger ferry capsizes in Guyana

• Missing: 83.

27 dead, 83 missing as passenger ferry capsizes in Guyana

• Rescued: 69.

People Magazine

• Passenger count: Manifest listed 133 names; investigations indicate up to 179 people were on board, including 32 rescued individuals not on the manifest.

Guyana Ferry Disaster: 27 Dead, 179 Feared Aboard

• Search area: Roughly 1,070 km² (413 sq mi).

Guyana Ferry Capsizes: 27 Dead, 83 Remain Missing

• Vessel: Built in 1939, 40 m long, described as “aging.”

Death Toll Hits 27 as Crew Arrested in Devastating Guyana Ferry Capsize

Prime Minister Phillips visited survivors on July 20, stressing that “the families affected… deserve answers.” Public Works Minister Juan Edghill noted the manifest discrepancy, the arrest of the captain and a crew member after positive marijuana tests, and called the incident the country’s most catastrophic maritime disaster in decades. The French government dispatched a 15-member dive team from French Guiana.

Guyana Ferry Capsizes: 27 Dead, 83 Remain Missing

Opposition figures allege that ferry staff sold tickets without recording passenger names, allowing “illicit pocketing of proceeds.” Minister Edghill called the practice a “criminal action” and warned of accountability.

Guyana Ferry Disaster: 27 Dead, 179 Feared Aboard

• Passenger numbers: Some outlets report 179 aboard, while others cite the 133-person manifest.

Guyana Ferry Disaster: 27 Dead, 179 Feared Aboard

• Cause of capsizing: Preliminary statements mention a large wave; other sources point to possible overloading and crew drug use. No definitive cause has been confirmed.

Tragedy Strikes As 27 Confirmed Dead, 83 Missing After Guyana Ferry Capsizes

• Manifest accuracy: Reports differ on how many rescued individuals were omitted from the original list (32 according to some, 16-plus according to others).

27 dead, 83 missing as passenger ferry capsizes in Guyana

• “The families affected, and indeed the people of Guyana, deserve answers,” — Mr. Ali, Guyana’s president

New York Times

• “We have zero tolerance for members of the crew drinking or smoking while at work. And for us to have positive tests from the captain, this is serious,” — Juan Edghill, public works minister

Tragedy Strikes As 27 Confirmed Dead, 83 Missing After Guyana Ferry Capsizes

The government has launched a criminal investigation into alleged overloading, falsified manifests, and crew substance abuse. Authorities will continue forensic analysis of the wreck and the search for the missing, with updates expected as the inquiry progresses.

Guyana Ferry Disaster: 27 Dead, 179 Feared Aboard