SerpApi.Org
More than 100 people are feared dead after a ferry, whose captain tested positive for marijuana, sank off the coast of Guyana.
The overloaded boat was travelling from Georgetown, the Guyanese capital, to the small city of Port Kaituma when it capsized off the coast of the Essequibo region on Saturday night with 179 people on board.
At least 53 passengers have been confirmed dead, while 50 are still missing. A search and rescue mission found the vessel on the seabed of the former British colony’s North Atlantic coast.
Police are exploring multiple theories about the cause of Guyana’s worst marine disaster in decades, including an inaccurate passenger manifest and alleged drug use by the captain and other crew members.
Mark Phillips, the country’s prime minister, told reporters that the ferry’s captain and another crew member, who were both rescued, each tested positive for marijuana and were taken into police custody as part of a criminal investigation into the incident.
He said: “Let me be absolutely clear: Where negligence, misconduct or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law.
“There will be no exceptions and no tolerance for actions that placed innocent lives at risk.”
Authorities believe that there were more people on board than were listed on the ship’s passenger manifest. The official registry had listed 133 – 116 passengers and 17 crew members – as being on board MV Barima, but Mr Phillips said he was now “confident” there were 179 people.
Passengers have for years accused ticket clerks at state-run ferry terminals of selling tickets to friends under the table for cash and not putting their names on the manifest.
The ferry, built in 1939, was also reportedly in disrepair and was set to undergo major renovations in October. Several passengers claimed on social media that they had seen water leaking into the ship’s cargo area.
Irfaan Ali, Guyana’s president, visited many of the survivors who were taken to hospital in the northern town of Mabaruma.
“It was a deeply emotional experience. I listened to their stories, shared in their pain and anxiety, and assured them that every practical measure would be taken to provide the support and assistance they need,” he said.
“Our priority remains to protect every life that can still be saved; to support those who have endured unimaginable trauma.”
The use of ferries is common in Guyana, which is filled with dense rainforests and lacks a comprehensive network of roads in inland areas, where Port Kaituma is located. The boats are also appealing to people and companies looking to avoid the higher cost of air travel charged by domestic airlines.
Essequibo, the area where the ship capsized, makes up about two-thirds of Guyana’s land and is disputed by Venezuela, which claims the oil-rich region as its own and has conducted provocative military drills nearby.
