Guyana Tightens Ferry Safety Procedures After MV Barima Tragedy

The Guyana government is tightening ferry safety procedures after the deadly sinking of the MV Barima. Officials say they will strengthen passenger checks and ticketing rules while recovery teams continue searching for those still missing.

President Irfaan Ali said recovery crews found one more body on Friday. The discovery raised the confirmed death toll to 72. Specialist divers carried out two dives and planned a third later in the day. They continue cutting through the wreck to reach areas where more victims may be trapped.

The operation remains difficult because parts of the vessel are heavily damaged. Local divers are working with teams from France and Trinidad and Tobago. At the same time, Guyanese and Brazilian helicopters continue searching nearby waters.

The MV Barima capsized last weekend after a wave struck the 87-year-old ferry. It was traveling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma in the Barima-Waini region. The official passenger manifest listed 116 passengers and 17 crew members. However, investigators now believe about 179 people were on board. Authorities have confirmed that 76 people survived.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips said the government is acting quickly to improve safety across the country’s ferry service. He said officials will strictly enforce existing boarding and passenger management procedures.

Phillips said investigators reviewed CCTV footage from the departure stelling. The footage confirmed that 179 people boarded the ferry before it sank. He also said some passengers boarded without receiving tickets. That created a major difference between the official passenger list and the actual number of people on board.

An independent Commission of Inquiry will investigate how those failures happened. The inquiry will examine the actions of the Transport and Harbours Department. It will also recommend changes to improve safety, accountability, and passenger tracking.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary opposition, A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), wants lawmakers to help shape the inquiry. The party has asked Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir to allow Parliament to discuss and approve the commission’s terms of reference.

Recovery operations continue as authorities search for the remaining victims. At the same time, the government is moving to strengthen ferry safety and prevent another tragedy.