Eight Dead After Ferry Capsizes Off Cyprus; Captain and Crew Detained
A passenger ferry carrying 267 people capsized off northern Cyprus on Saturday, killing at least eight and leaving search teams hunting for more than two
A passenger ferry carrying 267 people capsized off northern Cyprus on Saturday, killing at least eight and leaving search teams hunting for more than two dozen missing. The ship's captain and seven crew members are now in custody as authorities investigate how the disaster unfolded in waters near Kyrenia.
The vessel departed around midday bound for the Turkish port of Tasucu but encountered heavy seas shortly after leaving port. Within 15 minutes, water began flooding the hull. A distress call went out as the ferry went down.
Rescue and Recovery Efforts
More than 200 passengers were pulled to safety in a swift rescue response involving helicopters and coastguard vessels. But at least 23 remain unaccounted for, with search operations continuing across the region. The privately owned ferry was carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members when it went down.
Eyewitness accounts describe chaotic scenes below deck as passengers scrambled to don life jackets as water rushed in. One account described the vessel being struck by two successive waves—the first of which the captain appeared to recover from before a second surge hit and the ship began taking water rapidly.
Official Response and Investigation
Ünal Üstel, prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, called it "the biggest maritime disaster Cyprus has experienced." He pledged that authorities would examine every aspect of what went wrong.
"Even the slightest negligence will come to light," Üstel said, announcing the detention of the captain and crew as investigators assess potential breaches in procedure or seamanship.
The ferry had originally been scheduled to depart Friday but was delayed due to poor weather. Authorities are now examining whether conditions on Saturday warranted the voyage or whether the captain made errors in handling the vessel during the crossing.
Search teams from Turkish authorities have joined the operation as divers work to access the wreck and locate missing passengers.
