Guyana ferry with 116 people on board capsizes; more than 50 rescued

Rescue operations for remaining passengers and unit ongoing, authorities say.

Rescuers successful Guyana are racing to find dozens of radical missing astatine oversea aft a ferry carrying 116 passengers and unit capsized disconnected the country’s coast, according to section authorities.

The MV Barima, which issued a distress telephone astatine astir 11pm connected Saturday (03:00 GMT connected Sunday), capsized adjacent Iron Punt portion travelling from Guyana’s superior Georgetown to Port Kaituma.

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Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips told the AFP quality bureau connected Sunday that 53 radical had been rescued. He said authorities expected to rescue much radical arsenic the hunt cognition progresses during daylight hours.

The cognition involves Guyana’s coastguard and backstage vessels, according to Guyana’s Public Works Minister Juan Edghill.

Edghill said the ferry was equipped with immoderate 250 beingness jackets, 8 lifeboats and different information gear.

He added that a aesculapian squad was being dispatched to the hunt country to dainty radical “as soon arsenic they are rescued”.

“There is an progressive hunt and rescue cognition that is taking place, and we commune for the information of all,” Edghill said successful a video station shared connected Facebook.

The circumstances surrounding the vessel mishap were not instantly clear.