Dozens of people are feared dead after a passenger ferry carrying more than 100 people sank off the coast of Guyana, prompting a major search and rescue operation involving the country’s coast guard, emergency services and local fishermen.
the ferry encountered difficulties before capsizing in coastal waters, with authorities saying many passengers were forced into the sea. Rescue teams have managed to save several survivors, but dozens remain missing and are feared to have drowned.
The Guyana Defence Force Coast Guard said rescue vessels and aircraft were deployed immediately after receiving distress reports, while nearby fishing boats joined the search for survivors. Officials said poor weather and rough sea conditions have complicated rescue efforts.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the exact cause of the sinking, but investigators are examining whether overcrowding, adverse weather or a mechanical failure contributed to the disaster. An official inquiry is expected once rescue operations are completed.
Hospitals in the area have been placed on alert to receive survivors, while relatives of passengers gathered at ports and emergency centres seeking information about missing family members. Government officials said efforts remain focused on locating survivors and recovering those still unaccounted for.
President Irfaan Ali expressed sympathy to the families of those affected and said the government was mobilising all available resources to support the rescue operation. He pledged a full investigation into the incident and promised that those responsible, if any negligence is found, would be held accountable.
Maritime accidents involving overcrowded passenger vessels remain a recurring concern in parts of South America and the Caribbean, where ferries are an important means of transport for many coastal and riverine communities.
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