Ferry capsizes off North Cyprus, at least eight dead and 23 missing

At least eight people have died and 23 are missing after a ferry carrying around 270 passengers and crew capsized off North Cyprus, leaving survivors clinging to its overturned hull.

Ünal Üstel, prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, told Turkish state broadcaster TRT that 237 people have so far been rescued.

A search is underway for another 23 people, he said, and it will continue until all victims are found.

The privately owned ferry, the Filo Jet, left the port of Kyrenia at 12:30pm local time (7:30pm AEST) and immediately started taking on water for an unknown reason, authorities said.

It was heading for the port of Tasucu in the Mersin province of Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean.

Mr Üstel said the ferry faced adverse weather conditions and began taking on water just 15 minutes after departure. A call for help was issued shortly after, he said.

Police detained eight people — including the ferry captain — as part of an investigation into "every aspect" of the sinking, he added.

However, Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said weather conditions "were not bad" and urged against speculating about the cause of the accident.

Türkiye President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the rescue "continued uninterrupted", offering his "condolences and best wishes for a speedy recovery to our nation and to the Turkish Cypriot people".

He said Türkiye had launched "extensive" search-and-rescue efforts "in-cooperation" with the northern Cyprus authorities.

23 people still missing

The disaster occurred just off the coast of Kyrenia, a popular holiday resort for both locals and tourists.

The ferry involved, a catamaran, was one of several shuttle sea services that link North Cyprus with Turkey daily.

Mr Erhurman said the vessel went down in waters 500 metres deep, encumbering search efforts.

"We are deeply saddened by this," he told CNN Turk in a live broadcast.

Video footage showed people in red life jackets sitting or standing on top of the overturned vessel as authorities scrambled for coastguard and private vessels to assist in bringing them to shore.

"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."

Major rescue operation underway

The day prior, Cyprus was battered by fierce storms, with one person dying after his sailboat crashed onto rocks in rough seas in the island's south-east.

Asked about the cause of the capsize, Mr Erhurman noted the storm on Saturday, but said the weather was considered suitable for travel.

"Everyone is doing everything they can and making every effort," he said, speaking from the crisis centre set up in the area.

"Our sole priority right now is human life. All institutions of our state, our security forces, our health teams and our search and rescue elements are on the ground in full coordination," he told reporters after chairing a crisis management committee.

The Turkish Cypriot Interior Ministry said the passenger ferry was carrying 259 passengers and eight crew, and it began taking on water about four nautical miles off Kyrenia while sailing from Kyrenia to Tasucu in Turkey.

Four Turkish Cypriot coast guard vessels and a civilian passenger boat were deployed to the scene, along with five Turkish coastguard vessels and two helicopters, the ministry statement said.