A passenger ferry carrying more than 260 people capsized off the northern coast of Cyprus on Sunday, triggering a large-scale rescue operation involving coastguard vessels, a helicopter, fishing boats and other civilian craft. The catamaran-style ferry was travelling from Kyrenia, also known as Girne, in northern Cyprus to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province when it began taking on water shortly after leaving port. Northern Cyprus Public Works and Transport Minister Erhan Arikli said 267 people — 259 passengers and eight crew members — were aboard the privately operated vessel. Early reports had put the number at around 270.
There were no confirmed reports of fatalities in the initial hours after the accident. Turkish Cypriot and Turkish authorities continued rescue operations as conflicting early figures emerged over how many people had been brought to safety.
Kyrenia Mayor Murat Senkul told CNN Turk that 159 people had been reached during the rescue operation, according to Reuters. That figure, however, did not constitute a final survivor count, with operations still continuing and authorities yet to issue a comprehensive accounting of everyone aboard.
Ferry began taking on water after leaving port
According to Turkish state broadcaster TRT and Anadolu Agency, the vessel departed Kyrenia Port at around 12.30 pm local time for Tasucu. It began taking on water for reasons that remain unknown soon after leaving the harbour.
The captain issued a distress call after water began entering the vessel, prompting the coastguard and port authorities to send emergency teams to its location.
Reports differed slightly on how far the ferry had travelled before it ran into trouble. Cyprus Mail reported that the vessel capsized about two kilometres north of the Kyrenia coast, while other accounts placed it several kilometres offshore.
Arikli confirmed that the ferry had overturned and said rescue crews were operating at the scene. Authorities had not determined what caused the vessel to begin taking on water.
Witnesses cited by Anadolu said some passengers jumped into the sea as the situation deteriorated. Video footage from the area showed people wearing life jackets in the water around the overturned ferry.
Coastguard, helicopter and civilian boats deployed
Turkish Cypriot coastguard vessels were dispatched to the area, while a rescue helicopter was sent to provide aerial support. Fishing boats and other vessels operating near Kyrenia also joined the effort.
Several boats reportedly left Kyrenia after news of the accident emerged to assist in recovering passengers from the water. Ambulances and emergency personnel were positioned at the port to receive those rescued.
The involvement of civilian craft became particularly important because of the large number of people aboard the ferry and the need to retrieve passengers who had entered the sea.
Authorities had not immediately disclosed how many people required medical treatment or whether anyone had suffered serious injuries. With rescue operations continuing, officials cautioned against drawing conclusions from preliminary passenger and survivor figures.
Passenger numbers vary in early reports
Initial reports described the ferry as carrying “around 270” people. Arikli subsequently provided a more precise figure of 267, comprising 259 passengers and eight crew members.
Reuters, citing Senkul, reported a figure of 258 passengers while saying 159 had been reached at that stage of the rescue operation. Such discrepancies are common during the early stages of major maritime emergencies as authorities reconcile passenger manifests with crew lists and rescue records.
The confirmed number of passengers rescued, missing or injured was therefore not immediately clear on Sunday afternoon.
No deaths had been reported in the initial official and media accounts, including reports by the Associated Press and Turkish media. Authorities were continuing to account for everyone aboard.
Cause of accident remains unknown
The circumstances that caused the ferry to take on water are now expected to become a central part of the investigation. Arikli said authorities had not yet established why water began entering the vessel.
There was also no immediate official information on whether the accident involved a mechanical failure, damage to the hull, weather conditions or another factor.
Several ferry operators provide passenger services between Kyrenia and Tasucu, an important maritime connection between northern Cyprus and Turkey. The Associated Press said it was initially unclear which company operated the vessel.
Other local reports identified the operator, but authorities had not provided comprehensive details about the vessel or its condition before departure in the earliest official statements.
Busy maritime link with Turkey
Kyrenia is one of the principal ports in northern Cyprus, with regular ferry connections to southern Turkey. Tasucu, located in Turkey’s Mersin province on the Mediterranean coast, is a major destination for passenger and vehicle ferries operating across the stretch of sea separating Turkey and Cyprus.
Northern Cyprus is administered by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognised only by Turkey. Cyprus has remained divided since 1974, with the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus controlling the southern part of the island.
The political status of the island, however, has had no bearing on the immediate emergency response, which remained focused on locating and rescuing those aboard the ferry.
As of Sunday afternoon, the operation remained active and authorities had yet to announce a final tally of rescued, injured or missing passengers. The absence of an immediate casualty report was encouraging, but officials had not declared the rescue operation complete.