GEORGETOWN: ‌A ferry carrying 116 passengers sank off the coast of ​Guyana in South America late Saturday with 67 people, including 15 children, rescued so far, according to Guyana authorities.

An air traffic control tower received ‌a distress ‌call at 11:01 ​p.m. ‌Saturday ⁠night ​from the ⁠MV Barima, according to local outlets, triggering a search and rescue operation. The ferry, which also had 17 crew members, ⁠capsized off the North Atlantic ‌coast ‌on the way ​to the ‌village of Port Kaituma. It ‌was unclear where the ferry departed from.

Prime Minister Mark Phillips said at a ‌press conference Sunday morning that the operation will continue ⁠until ⁠all efforts have been exhausted.

Guyana’s Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, Deodat Indar, said in a statement that emergency family assistance centers have been established to provide families with information and support.