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The MV Barima was sailing from the capital, Georgetown, along
the North Atlantic coast to Port Kaituma, said Guyanese Prime
Minister Mark Phillips, who is leading the government’s
response.
Phillips said the group that had been rescued included 41 men,
11 women and 15 children. He did not say whether authorities
feared the missing passengers were dead or not. Helicopters,
planes and fishing vessels are scanning a 1,000-square-mile area
in search efforts.
The MV Barima departed shortly after 3 p.m. on Saturday and ran
into trouble shortly before midnight, officials said. A distress
call was received at 11:01 p.m. (0301 GMT), which prompted a
search and rescue operation involving state and private boats,
Public Works Minister Juan Edghill said on Facebook.
Authorities said the vessel, which makes weekly trips to the
largely Indigenous communities near Venezuela, capsized near the
Pomeroon River.
Edghill said the vessel was fitted with 250 life jackets, two
rigid life rafts and six inflatable life rafts. He denied claims
that it could have capsized because it was overloaded with
passengers or cargo.
"It had to do with the tide,” the minister said, referencing
statements from rescued passengers.
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