At least 7 dead after ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsizes off northern Cyprus

BODRUM, Turkey (AP) — At least seven people have died after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday, Turkish media reported.

The prime minister of the breakaway north of ethnically divided Cyprus, Unal Ustel, said 237 people have been rescued. A search is underway for another 24 people, he told the Turkish state-run TRT news channel.

Ustel 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.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences and said his government was coordinating with Northern Cyprus in the search and rescue effort.

“We hope we’ll be receiving positive news,” Erdogan said on Sunday in Ankara while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Turkish Military Academy.

The catamaran-style ferry was traveling from the port of Kyrenia, also known as Girne, to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province.

Kyrenia Mayor Murat Senkul said the ship belonged to the Filo Denizcilik ferry company and sank off the coast of Diana beach on Cyprus’ northern coast.

The ferry started taking in water about 7.5 kilometers (4 nautical miles) off the coast, TRT reported.

Video footage from the scene shows people with life-vests floating in the waters around the capsized vessel.

Constantinos Letymbiotis, spokesman for Cyprus’ internationally recognized government, said in a post on X Sunday that the government had expressed its readiness to assist in search and rescue efforts with all available means.

“In these trying times, our thoughts are with those who lost their lives, those who were injured and all those who are living this tragedy,” Letymbiotis said.

“At such times, the protection of human life is paramount.”

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