Guyana opens criminal probe into ferry capsizing that left dozens missing

Guyana has opened a criminal investigation into the capsizing of the MV Barima, a ferry that overturned near Iron Punt in the Pomeroon River with dozens of people still unaccounted for. Authorities said the search for survivors continued after 67 people were rescued, but no survivors had been found since Sunday afternoon.

The ferry was traveling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma when it capsized late Saturday night, July 18, after issuing a distress call at about 11 p.m. Officials said the vessel may have been carrying as many as 133 people, a load that placed the disaster among the worst maritime emergencies in recent Guyanese memory.

The rescue count also raised immediate questions about the passenger list. Authorities said at least 35 of the 67 people pulled from the water were not on the manifest, while earlier tallies put the number of unlisted survivors at 32. That gap points to a manifest that could not be trusted in the middle of a mass-casualty response, complicating any effort to determine how many people were actually on board.

The criminal probe gives the disaster a second front beyond the search operation now stretching across coastal waters. Investigators are expected to examine whether the ferry was overloaded, whether safety equipment was working, and whether the crew and operator were in compliance with maritime rules. The vessel had maintenance in 2024 and was due for dry docking later this year, details that will likely figure in the inquiry into why it failed.

The human stakes are especially acute in Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, where much of the land is rainforest and river and coastal transport is essential for moving workers, families, and goods between communities. That geography makes ferry safety a routine public policy issue, not just a response to one wreck. When a vessel like the MV Barima fails, it can turn an ordinary trip into a national emergency, exposing weaknesses in oversight, inspection, and passenger control that reach far beyond a single voyage.