The death toll from the MV Barima ferry tragedy in Guyana has risen to 10 after search teams recovered eight more bodies on Monday.

According to the Guyana Government, the latest recoveries bring the total number of confirmed deaths since the vessel capsized on Saturday night to 10. Officials said the identification process is being carried out at Suddie Hospital with the assistance of relatives. Authorities also reaffirmed their commitment to continuing the operation until every person who was on board has been accounted for.

The passenger and cargo ferry was travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma with more than 133 people on board when it reportedly encountered a large wave and capsized approximately seven miles offshore near the mouth of the Pomeroon River. So far, 67 people have been rescued, while search teams continue looking for at least 70 others who remain missing and are feared dead.

Search-and-rescue efforts remain underway with support from multiple agencies as crews continue to comb the waters in hopes of locating survivors or recovering additional victims. Authorities have also confirmed that some people rescued after the accident were not listed on the vessel’s official passenger manifest, making it more difficult to determine exactly how many people were aboard at the time of the disaster.

Meanwhile, investigators have arrested the vessel’s captain and first engineer after both reportedly tested positive for narcotics. The arrests form part of the ongoing investigation into the circumstances surrounding one of Guyana’s deadliest maritime disasters in recent years.

President Irfaan Ali returned to Guyana on Sunday after cutting short an official visit to Canada. On Monday, he met with survivors, grieving families and medical personnel responding to the tragedy.

In a statement shared on his official Facebook page, President Ali said he visited survivors receiving treatment at Mabaruma Hospital and assured affected families that the government would continue providing support during the difficult period ahead.

As recovery operations continue, authorities say every available resource remains deployed in the effort to locate those still missing. The government has pledged to continue the search until all passengers have been accounted for while investigations into the cause of the tragedy remain ongoing.