(Kaieteur News) – The Government of Guyana has ordered an urgent investigation following the catastrophic maritime tragedy aboard the MV Barima, amid shocking revelations that the vessel’s captain and first engineer tested positive for narcotics, and dozens of rescued passengers were never recorded on the ship’s official manifest.

Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, speaking at the government’s press conference last evening, confirmed that severe operational breaches and blatant “mischief” have compromised the entire voyage, promising that those responsible will face the “full force of the law.”

The true scope of the administrative breakdown is laid bare by the survival data. While 116 people were legitimately accounted for through modern booking systems, the actual manifest did not match the souls pulled from the water. This booking data was compiled from two primary sources: 100 individuals who secured their spots through the Online Booking System, and an additional 16 persons who registered via the Mobile Money Guyana (MMG) System.