At least seven people have died after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the northern coast of Cyprus, triggering a major search-and-rescue operation, according to authorities.
The catamaran-style ferry was traveling from Kyrenia, also known as Girne, to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province when it began taking on water shortly after leaving port. Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said the vessel encountered adverse weather conditions and started taking in water about 15 minutes into the journey.
Authorities said 237 people had been rescued, while search teams were continuing efforts to locate those still missing. Emergency crews, coast guard vessels and other boats were involved in the operation, with survivors being brought back to Kyrenia for medical assessment and assistance.
The ferry began experiencing trouble roughly 7.5 kilometers (about four nautical miles) from the coast, near Diana Beach. Images from the scene showed survivors wearing life jackets and waiting in the water or on the overturned vessel as rescue operations continued.
The vessel was operated by Filo Denizcilik, according to local officials. The exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, with authorities examining the weather and circumstances surrounding the ferry’s rapid intake of water.
The incident has raised renewed concerns about passenger safety and emergency preparedness on ferry routes linking northern Cyprus with Turkey.
Authorities are expected to provide further updates as the search continues and investigators work to establish what caused the ferry to capsize.
For the families of those still unaccounted for, the rescue operation remains a race against time as emergency teams continue searching the waters off northern Cyprus.
Swifteradio.com
