Death toll from Guyana ferry disaster continues to rise

The number of people known to have drowned after a passenger ferry capsized off the coast of Guyana on Saturday night has risen to 53 as hopes of finding survivors dwindled.

Guyana's Prime Minister Mark Phillips said that as of 22:00 GMT on Tuesday, 76 people had been rescued alive, but dozens more remained missing.

According to Phillips, 179 people had been on board, many more than the 116 passengers and 17 crew listed on the vessel's manifest.

An investigation is under way to determine what caused the 87-year-old ferry to capsize. The captain and a crew member are in custody after testing positive for cannabis, officials said.

Prime Minister Phillips insisted that "where negligence, misconduct or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law".

Guyana's Public Works Minister, Juan Edghill, had expressed his anger at a news conference on Sunday after drug tests from two crew members came back positive for cannabis.

"We have zero tolerance for members of the crew drinking or smoking while at work. And for us to have positive tests from the captain... this is serious," the minister said.

The MV Barima left the capital, Georgetown, on Saturday afternoon local time, headed for Port Kaituma, in the north of the country.

The 40m-long (131ft) vessel was built in 1939, according to a listing on VesselFinder.

A survivor, Elena Moonsammy, told local news site Kiskadee Watch that the ferry had tilted after being hit by a large wave, with water quickly rushing in.

It started to take on water within seconds, she said.

A distress call was received at 23:01 (03:01 GMT Sunday), triggering a search operation involving government teams and privately owned boats.

Moonsammy said she had survived by clinging to a box floating amidst the debris.

She had tried to hold on to the hand of her two-year-old child but they had been separated.

Moonsammy said she had managed to save a woman, whom she urged to also hold on to the floating box.

At least 15 children were among those rescued. Small private boats were key in pulling at least 17 survivors from the sea.

The French army sent 12 divers, two doctors and a mechanic from nearby French Guiana to aid the search-and-rescue operation.