Ferry capsizes off Cyprus coast, at least eight dead and 17 missing

At least eight people were killed when a ferry carrying more than 200 passengers capsized and sank off the coast of Cyprus on Sunday, the authorities in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) have reported.

The Mediterranean island has been divided since 1974, with the Turkish Cypriot-administered north recognized only by Türkiye.

The catamaran-type vessel had left the popular holiday resort port of Kyrenia for southern Türkiye when it began taking on water, according to TRNC Public Works and Transport Minister Erhan Arikli.

Turkish Cypriot and Turkish authorities mounted a rescue effort involving multiple civilian vessels, coast guard boats, and helicopters.

Of the 267 passengers and crew aboard, at least eight died and 17 remain missing, Arikli said in a statement cited by the media. The capsized vessel later sank to a depth of around 514 meters (1686 feet), he was quoted as saying.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara continues rescue efforts in collaboration with the TRNC authorities.

“The efforts to reach the missing continue without interruption,” he wrote on X.

Footage from the incident shows hundreds of survivors in red life jackets clinging to the capsized hull of the vessel.

The authorities have not yet established what caused the ferry to begin taking on water, with Arikli saying the vessel’s black box will need to be examined to determine the cause.

The vessel’s captain and seven crew members have been detained while an investigation of the cause of the accident and possible negligence is underway.

Cyprus faced severe storms on Saturday, with the Republic of Cyprus Civil Defense issuing an orange warning and cautioning people to avoid unnecessary travel. However, the warning expired that evening, and the subsequent official marine forecast carried no weather warning for Sunday.