Jerusalem Post/World NewsGuyanese authorities recovered 27 bodies after the MV Barima capsized with 179 people aboard, as rescuers searched for 83 missing passengers and police detained crew members.Follow us on GoogleRescue efforts progress after MV Barima, a ferry carrying people, capsized off the coast of Guyana in South America, in this handout image released on July 19, 2026. (photo credit: Bishop Juan Edghill/Handout via REUTERS)ByREUTERSJULY 21, 2026 03:54Guyana's government said on Monday that 27 bodies had been recovered from a ferry that capsized off the coast over the weekend with 179 people on board.The MV Barima was traveling from the capital Georgetown to the northwest village of Port Kaituma when it capsized. The government's National Communications Network said on Monday afternoon that 69 people had been rescued, while another 83 remain missing.The vessel overturned late on Saturday. Authorities had suggested an inaccurate passenger manifest and suspected drug use by the crew may have contributed to the disaster.By Monday afternoon, the vessel had been found on the seabed in search operations carried out by private company VEHSI in collaboration with Exxon Mobil and local fishermen, Guyana's Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, said on social media.Search teams, assisted by private energy sector vessels and divers, had expanded their search area to 1,040 square km (401 square miles).Guyana's President Mohamed Irfaan Ali attends an event to meet with family members of victims of a ferry disaster, after the MV Barima, a ferry that was travelling from the capital Georgetown to the northwest village of Port Kaituma, capsized off the coast over the weekend. (credit: Guyana via Facebook/Handout via REUTERS)Captain, crew members in custody with the ongoing investigationThe vessel's captain and at least one other crew member are currently in police custody after testing positive for marijuana, officials said.Prime Minister Mark Phillips has launched an investigation into potential institutional failures, promising that anyone found guilty of negligence or misconduct will face legal action.Follow us on Google