Guyana ferry disaster death toll climbs to 41

The death toll from a ferry disaster off the coast of Guyana has risen to 41, the government confirmed Tuesday. The MV Barima capsized Saturday night while traveling from the capital, Georgetown, to Port Kaituma in the country's inland Essequibo region.

Authorities initially reported 27 deaths, but a revised government report on Tuesday stated that 41 bodies had been recovered. A desperate search for survivors has been ongoing since Sunday. While 77 people have been rescued, officials believe 179 people were on board when the vessel flipped. An earlier, inaccurate passenger manifest had listed 133 people.

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A total of 41 bodies have now been recovered.

An investigation into the incident is underway. Prime Minister Mark Phillips stated that two crew members aboard the aging ferry, which was built in 1939, tested positive for marijuana. The ferry began its journey in the mid-afternoon, and a distress call was received approximately eight hours later.

Guyana, a small South American nation, is currently engaged in a territorial dispute with neighboring Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region. The MV Barima typically travels by sea before entering a river to reach Port Kaituma, a settlement located deep within a dense rainforest.

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The first recovery for the day was made at 10:15 am (1415GMT), and 14 bodies have been retrieved as of 1 pm Tuesday.