Guyana to refloat sunken ferry as recovery efforts continue

Guyana's government will start operations Wednesday to refloat the MV Barima, an aging ferry that capsized off the coast Saturday night. The maritime tragedy has so far claimed 53 lives, including 15 children, and left an estimated 70 people still missing. Rescue and recovery efforts are entering a critical new phase.

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We are continuing all night. There is a plan also being discussed now between the technical people, the Coast Guard and the expertise that came in. We are going to try to activate that plan by midday tomorrow.

President Irfaan Ali assured families of the missing that responders are working around the clock. "We have not ruled out rescue just yet," he stated during a briefing Tuesday. The operation will use specialized flotation equipment to lift the vessel from the seabed, allowing responders greater access. Additional divers and assets are expected Wednesday to bolster the mission.

The 87-year-old ferry was traveling from the capital, Georgetown, to Port Kaituma when it capsized. While the official manifest listed 116 passengers and a 17-member crew, authorities believe as many as 179 people may have been on board. "Based on the fact that they had 179 passengers on board…there is a likelihood that they may encounter more bodies there," said Prime Minister Mark Phillips. He added that the current focus is on searching and recovering as many bodies as possible.

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We have not ruled out rescue just yet.

The government has utilized advanced seabed mapping technology, supported by ExxonMobil, to pinpoint the vessel's exact position. The survey revealed the MV Barima is resting on its starboard side on the seabed, with its stern near the shoreline. Teams from the Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard, police, private sector partners, and civilian volunteers are maintaining the search.

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But right now, the focus and the concentration is on searching and recovering as much as possible bodies from the vessel.