At Least 7 Killed, 23 Missing as Ferry Capsizes Off North Cyprus: Rescue Underway

At least seven people died and 23 were missing after a ferry capsized off North Cyprus on Sunday. The passenger boat, carrying nearly 270 people, was heading from Northern Cyprus to Turkey when the incident occurred. According to the Prime Minister of the Turkish republic of northern Cyprus, Ünal Üstel, 237 people had been rescued from the ship, and search efforts were continuing for 23 people.

“We have reached 237 people alive. However, we have also recovered seven people who lost their lives. We are deeply saddened by this,” Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman told CNN.

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None of those rescued was in a critical condition.

How the Incident Unfolded

The privately owned ferry left the port of Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus at 12:30 p.m. (0930 GMT) with 259 passengers and eight crew members when it started taking on water for an unknown reason, authorities said.

Four coastguard vessels from northern Cyprus and a passenger vessel took part in rescue operations. Two coastguard helicopters were also pressed into action, the Interior Ministry of Turkey said.

Reactions Pour In

Numan Kurtulmuş, speaker of the Turkish parliament, took to X to extend his condolences to the families of those killed in “this exceedingly tragic incident.”

Video from the site showed people in red life jackets sitting or standing on top of the overturned vessel as authorities scrambled coastguard and private vessels to bring them to shore.