At least seven die in ferry capsize off Northern Cyprus; 23 missing

A passenger ferry capsized and sank off the coast of Northern Cyprus on Sunday, resulting in at least seven deaths and 23 people missing, according to officials. The exact cause of the incident was not established yet. One rescued passenger reported hearing a blast at the bow of the ferry before it capsized. The ferry, originating from the Northern Cyprus port of Kyrenia, was en route to Turkey's mainland when it capsized approximately 6.5 kilometers off the coast.

Images broadcast by Turkish television depicted the upside-down ferry with individuals wearing life vests atop its orange hull.

The ferry had been carrying a total of 267 people, with at least seven fatalities confirmed by Unal Ustel, the prime minister of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). He also mentioned that 23 individuals were still missing, while 172 had been rescued. TRNC's transport minister, Erhan Arikli, later disclosed that the ferry had "completely sunk to a depth of 514 meters (1,686 feet)." The minister shared that 161 people had been taken to the hospital, and 76 had been reunited with their families.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan conveyed during a public ceremony that "efforts to find the missing are continuing tirelessly. We hope to receive positive news from these efforts." The TRNC, which only has recognition from Turkey, governs the northern third of Cyprus, a region divided since 1974. Ankara occupied that portion of the island in 1974, following a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting with Greece.

A rescued passenger, in his 50s and unnamed, recounted a harrowing experience aboard the sinking vessel. He stated that a blast went off at the front of the ferry, causing the side windows to blow out. The boat began taking on water, and he spent an hour and a half submerged before being rescued. Many others managed to escape the sinking ferry. The man also noted that the captain was among the first to abandon ship without organizing any orderly evacuation.

Multiple boats, including private vessels, participated in the rescue operation. Turkiye's interior ministry announced that six Turkish navy ships were dispatched to aid in the search and rescue efforts. The TRNC's health ministry stated that all necessary preparations were being made for a swift response from rescue and medical services, alerting hospitals in the territory to provide any required medical attention.

The ferry departed from the Northern Cyprus port of Girne Kepuveia (Kyrenia) on a route leading to the Turkish port of Tasucu. The TRNC relies heavily on Turkey, and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz affirmed on X that "we are providing all necessary assistance to the search and rescue operations." Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to visit the TRNC on Monday to meet with the territory's president, Tufan Erhurmann, who was elected by the island's voters in October. This visit would be Erdogan's first since 2023.