Guyana Recovers 27 Bodies After Ferry Disaster, Detains Crew

Drug tests reveal violations in country's worst marine disaster in decades

Authorities in Guyana have recovered 27 bodies following a ferry disaster described as the country's worst marine accident in decades, according to Al Jazeera.

Investigators have detained members of the ferry's crew after drug tests revealed violations, the outlet reported, raising questions about whether impairment played a role in the disaster. Officials have not yet released a full account of how the vessel came to sink or capsize.

The scale of the loss of life has shaken the small South American nation, where ferries remain a vital means of transport along its rivers and coastline. Search and recovery operations were continuing as authorities worked to determine the full circumstances of the disaster and whether additional safety violations contributed to the death toll.

— Compiled from reporting by Al Jazeera.