🔥 Trending Guyana Ferry Disaster: What We Know So Far

A ferry, the MV Barima, carrying 116 passengers and crew members, sank off the coast of Guyana near Iron Punt on Saturday night, July 18, 2026, or early Sunday morning, July 19, 2026 ¹²⁵⁶⁷. The vessel was en route from Guyana's capital, Georgetown, to Port Kaituma ²⁵⁶.

Details of the Incident

The MV Barima was transporting 116 passengers ¹²³⁵⁷⁹. Some reports also mention 17 crew members, bringing the total number of people on board to 133 ⁶. The ferry capsized while traveling to Port Kaituma from Georgetown ¹²⁵. A distress call was reportedly issued around 11 PM local time on Saturday as the vessel began to sink ⁷.

Rescue Efforts and Casualties

Following the incident, a large-scale search and rescue operation was launched. As of the latest reports, 53 people have been rescued ¹²⁵⁶⁹. Other sources indicate that 67 people, including 15 children, have been rescued ³. Early reports mentioned only 8 survivors initially ⁷¹⁰. Rescuers are continuing to search for dozens of missing individuals ⁴.

Guyana's Prime Minister Mark Phillips confirmed that at least 53 people were rescued ⁸. The incident occurred off the coast of Region 2 ⁶.