Around 100 people are feared dead after a ferry called the MV Barima sank off the coast of Guyana on July 18, 2026. As of July 23, 53 bodies had been recovered and 76 survivors confirmed. It is Guyana's worst maritime disaster in decades, according to Al Jazeera.

The ferry was traveling from Georgetown, Guyana's capital, to Port Kaituma, a town along the Essequibo coast. The vessel was 87 years old.

The ship's official passenger list showed 133 people aboard, but authorities believed as many as 179 passengers and crew were on the vessel. That gap between the official list and the suspected actual number prompted a criminal investigation, The Guardian reported. The official count changed several times in the days after the sinking. Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill first said 116 passengers had been aboard, then the number was raised to 133, and later to the suspected 179.

The ferry departed Georgetown on Saturday, July 18, and began taking on water after what survivors described as engine trouble shortly after leaving. According to survivor accounts gathered by News Room Guyana, the crew tried to fix the engine at sea instead of turning back. Survivors also said that when water started entering the vessel, crew members told passengers not to worry. The ferry then leaned sharply and overturned.

Survivors described a dangerously overloaded ship carrying heavy cargo including engines, vehicles, fuel containers, and commercial goods alongside passengers. Government officials said the ferry was within its capacity limits for both passengers and cargo, while acknowledging that survivor accounts conflicted with the official position. The head of Guyana's Maritime Administration Department called for a full investigation to find out how the vessel was loaded and whether supervisory staff acted properly.

Police detained the rescued captain and at least one other crew member. Both reportedly tested positive for marijuana. Prime Minister Mark Phillips said the government has "nothing to hide" and pledged legal consequences for anyone found responsible, including for negligence or criminal wrongdoing.

The human cost has been severe. Families gathered in the northern town of Charity, waiting for news of loved ones still unaccounted for. Samantha Ramin, quoted by Al Jazeera, lost two of her three children. Her daughter's body was recovered, but her infant son remained missing. One family aboard the ferry was traveling to bury a relative when the vessel sank, according to News Room Guyana. Guyana's First Lady, Arya Ali, publicly expressed profound sorrow and extended condolences and support to affected families.

The MV Barima was built 87 years ago. Its age immediately raised questions about the state of Guyana's maritime infrastructure. Edghill stated publicly that the vessel was seaworthy before the disaster, noting it was last dry-docked — taken out of the water for inspection and maintenance — in 2024, with its next dry docking scheduled for October 2026. Those maintenance claims now sit alongside survivor allegations of overloading, mechanical failure, and crew negligence, all of which the Maritime Administration Department's investigation is expected to address.

A replacement vessel had already been purchased. A US$12.7 million ferry bought from India was waiting for a special pier at Port Kaituma to be finished before it could enter service, according to Al Jazeera. The new vessel, first reported by Stabroek News in January 2026, can accommodate 81 cars or 19 large trucks and over 300 passengers, with a traveling speed of 10 knots. The pier construction delay meant the MV Barima kept operating well past the point its replacement was available but not yet ready to use.

The casualty figures changed steadily through the week. On July 19, News Room Guyana reported 67 rescues, including 15 children. By July 20, officials stated that 69 had been rescued and 83 remained missing, Al Jazeera reported. On July 22, News Room Guyana reported 57 bodies recovered with 44 positively identified. By July 23, the figures stood at 53 recovered bodies and 76 survivors, per Al Jazeera's latest reporting. The slight decrease in the body count between July 22 and July 23 may reflect identification reclassification rather than a literal reduction.

The broader context here is a small Caribbean nation whose maritime transport infrastructure has not kept pace with its growing population and economic ambitions. The Essequibo region, including Port Kaituma, depends on ferry service as a lifeline for passengers and cargo. Think of these ferries as the equivalent of a rural highway system — they are the main way people and goods move in and out of the region. Running an 87-year-old vessel on a route of this importance, with a replacement ferry sitting idle because a pier was not finished, raises questions about how the government plans its purchases, prepares its ports, and decides how long to keep aging vessels in service. The investigation's scope, covering loading practices, crew conduct, and vessel fitness, will likely determine whether this disaster produces accountability, reform, or both.