Families in Guyana demand answers as anger grows after 100 drown in ferry accident

What this source establishes

The AP dispatch that moves the story from disaster to accountability, carrying an update timestamp nearly three hours after first posting. It is the origin in this corpus of Leon Murray's testimony contradicting the government's under-capacity claim, and of the allegation that crew repaired engine trouble at sea rather than turning back and dismissed water ingress as normal. Maritime Agency Director Stephen Thomas speaks to AP directly. It reports that the 12.7 million dollar Indian-built replacement was waiting on a Port Kaituma pier, and records survivors telling AP they spent hours in the water.

Figures cited in this source

An estimated 100 killed; 76 of 179 believed aboard survived; 65 bodies recovered as of Wednesday; divers searching for nearly 40 more; manifest listed 116 passengers and 17 crew

Key claims

• 76 of the 179 passengers believed aboard survived the South American nation's worst maritime disaster on record — authorities
• As of Wednesday, 65 bodies had been recovered as divers searched for nearly 40 more with help from naval assets from Brazil and Trinidad and Tobago
• 'I know my baby is in that boat... I know he is down there. I want to see them find my baby' — Samantha Ramin, who lost two of her three children
• A growing number of Guyanese are questioning why it took so long to rescue people, with some survivors telling The Associated Press they spent hours in the water
• 'The people load, load, load the steamer. It was packed, packed, packed all downstairs' — Leon Murray, survivor
• Murray and other survivors said the ferry encountered engine problems just hours after departure but crews fixed it en route instead of turning back, and that crew ignored suggestions the ferry was taking on water: 'They told us this is normal'
• Survivors complained the vessel was overloaded with heavy-duty engines, a few vehicles, large fuel containers, all-terrain vehicles and commercial cargo
• Officials are awaiting a comprehensive investigation covering the loading of the vessel and the role of supervisory personnel — Maritime Agency Director Stephen Thomas, to the AP
• 'We have nothing to hide... People will be held responsible based on the outcome, the results and the recommendations of that commission' — Prime Minister Mark Phillips, late Tuesday
• 'Where negligence, misconduct or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law. There will be no exceptions and no tolerance for actions that place innocent lives at risk' — Mark Phillips
• The government said it was waiting on completion of a special pier at Port Kaituma to accommodate a new $12.7 million vessel acquired from India to replace the MV Barima; work is at an advanced stage

Quotations

• “I know my baby is in that boat. I know he is down there. I want to see them find my baby”— Samantha Ramin, mother who lost two of her three children
• “The people load, load, load the steamer. It was packed, packed, packed all downstairs”— Leon Murray, survivor
• “They told us this is normal”— Leon Murray, survivor, on crew dismissing warnings the ferry was taking on water
• “We have nothing to hide. People will be held responsible based on the outcome, the results and the recommendations of that commission”— Mark Phillips, Prime Minister
• “Where negligence, misconduct or criminal wrongdoing is established, those responsible will face the full force of the law. There will be no exceptions”— Mark Phillips, Prime Minister

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