Seven Dead, 23 Missing After Ferry Capsizes Off Northern Cyprus

At least seven people have died and 23 remain missing after a passenger ferry carrying more than 260 people capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday, triggering a major search-and-rescue operation.

The vessel, carrying 267 people; 259 passengers and eight crew members, was travelling from the northern Cypriot port of Kyrenia (Girne) to the Turkish port of Taşucu, in Mersin province, when it began taking on water shortly after leaving port.

Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman said 237 people had been rescued alive, while seven others had died. Authorities continued searching for the 23 people still unaccounted for.

Footage from the scene showed survivors wearing life jackets and clinging to, or standing on top of, the overturned vessel as rescue teams worked to bring them safely ashore. Helicopters, coast guard vessels and civilian boats were deployed in the operation.

The ferry, operated by Filo Denizcilik, reportedly began taking on water several nautical miles off the coast of Kyrenia. The exact cause of the incident had not immediately been established.

The vessel was a catamaran-style passenger ferry that regularly operates services between northern Cyprus and Turkey.

Authorities mobilised extensive resources as the search continued, with Turkish Cypriot and Turkish coast guard vessels joined by helicopters and civilian boats.

Hospitals in the area were also receiving injured survivors, while officials worked to provide information to relatives of passengers.

Prime Minister Ünal Üstel described finding the 23 missing people as the authorities’ top priority and said all available state institutions had been mobilised for the rescue operation.

The disaster occurred off Kyrenia, a popular coastal city and tourist destination in northern Cyprus. Local officials described the incident as a major maritime disaster, as rescuers continued efforts to locate those still missing.

The death toll and number of missing passengers could change as the search operation progresses.