At Least 7 Dead After Ferry Capsizes Off Northern Cyprus Coast

<>

Ferry Capsizes Off Northern Cyprus Coast Minutes After Departure

The tragedy unfolded on a Sunday afternoon when the privately operated passenger vessel departed the port of Kyrenia, also known as Girne, in the breakaway north of ethnically divided Cyprus. The ship was bound for the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province. According to statements from Prime Minister Unal Ustel reported by AP News, the ferry faced adverse weather conditions and began taking on water just 15 minutes after leaving port.

Kyrenia Mayor Murat Senkul stated that the ship belonged to the Filo Denizcilik ferry company and sank off the coast of Diana beach. TRT reported that the vessel started taking in water approximately 7.5 kilometers, or 4 nautical miles, off the northern coast. The captain managed to issue a distress call shortly after the vessel encountered trouble.

Video footage from the scene broadcast by Turkish media showed people wearing life vests floating in the waters surrounding the overturned catamaran hull.

Deploying extensive emergency resources, regional authorities mobilized quickly. Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar reported a massive deployment affiliated with the Northern Cyprus Coast Guard Command. The Coast Guard Command dispatched passenger ships, five pilotage units, and two coast guard helicopters to the site, while the Turkish Naval Forces added another six naval units to the search grid.

Conflicting Passenger and Rescue Figures Highlight Initial Chaos

Early reports from various news outlets showed discrepancies in passenger manifests and casualty counts as rescue teams swept the waters. Prime Minister Unal Ustel initially reported to CNN Turk that 172 people had been rescued with 89 people remaining missing, before later updating the rescue tally to 237 survivors while search teams looked for another 24 people, as noted by AP News.

Al Jazeera reported that a total of 267 people, including the crew, were on board the catamaran when it capsized. In response to the unfolding crisis, Northern Cyprus Transport Minister Erhan Arikli told the Turkish news agency Anadolu that ongoing operations were focused on bringing injured survivors to Girne port for immediate transfer to local hospitals.

The Ministry of Health of Northern Cyprus issued a statement confirming that all area hospitals were placed on high alert to provide urgent medical care for incoming survivors. Meanwhile, Constantinos Letymbiotis, spokesman for Cyprus’ internationally recognized government, posted on X expressing the government’s readiness to assist in search-and-rescue efforts using all available means. In those statements, Letymbiotis emphasized that the protection of human life remains paramount during such trying times.

Transport Minister Erhan Arikli confirmed that a comprehensive inquiry will determine the cause of the incident. As search operations push forward in the waters off Kyrenia, maritime safety experts and regional officials will scrutinize vessel maintenance logs, weather advisories, and emergency response protocols to ensure accountability and prevent future tragedies in the busy corridor between Cyprus and Turkey.