A ferry capsized off northern Cyprus, resulting in eight deaths and 18 missing. Rescue operations are ongoing for those unaccounted for.
Authorities have confirmed that at least eight people have died and 18 are missing after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the coast of Turkish-occupied northern Cyprus. The tragic incident has sent shockwaves across the region.
According to the territory’s prime minister, Ünal Üstel, 237 individuals have been rescued, and search efforts are ongoing for those who remain unaccounted for. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman remarked on the intensity of the rescue operations, stating, “Search and rescue teams are working very intensively to find them. If there are people still inside the vessel, reaching them does not appear easy at the moment. Efforts are being made using other technologies to reach them as well.”
The ferry, designed as a catamaran, was on a route from Kyrenia, known as Girne, in the breakaway north of Cyprus, to Taşucu in Mersin province, Turkey. The area around Kyrenia is a favored destination for both locals and tourists, making the ferry a vital link.
Mehmet Harmancı, the mayor of Turkish-held northern Nicosia, described the disaster as the worst in the territory’s 40-plus years of independence, saying, “We’ve not seen anything like this before. It’s by far the worst tragedy. There are 23 people still missing. We believe most of the passengers were Turks and Turkish Cypriots.”
Details continued to remain unclear hours after the capsizing, as the extent of the injuries remained unknown. Many of the injured have been transported to hospitals in northern Nicosia. Harmancı expressed concern for those in need, saying, “I’m off to the hospital and am in the process of gathering warm clothes.”
Kyrenia’s mayor, Murat Şenkul, stated the ferry belonged to Filo Denizcilik and had sunk off Diana beach, reportedly taking in water approximately 7.5 kilometers (or about 4 nautical miles) from the coast. Video clips from the area depicted people in life vests floating around the capsized craft, as some passengers clung to its overturned hull.
The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation shared that the vessel was a recent addition to the fleet. Witnesses reported that when the ferry began to take on water, the captain instructed passengers to put on their life jackets. Erhürman conveyed his grief about the loss of lives, emphasizing, “The ship capsized. It has sunk in an area where the water is 514 metres deep. So far, we have reached 244 people.”
From a crisis center established in the region, he noted the overwhelming sense of shock, remarking, “This is not something we have experienced before. We are extremely saddened. Everyone is doing everything they can and making every effort.”
A source close to Erhüman revealed the ferry was a common mode of transport for Turks residing in northern Cyprus, explaining, “It’s much cheaper than the plane and only takes a few hours. Many Turkish citizens use it to travel and see their families back home. You could say that a lot of the passengers were poor. It’s all just so very sad.”
In response to the disaster, four coastguard vessels and a civilian boat were deployed to the scene, joined by five Turkish coastguard ships and two helicopters, as local officials scramble to assist in the rescue efforts.
