Authorities have detained the captain and seven crew members following a maritime tragedy off the coast of Northern Cyprus, where a ferry capsized, claiming at least eight lives and leaving 18 passengers missing. The vessel, a catamaran-style craft, departed from the city known as Kyrenia in Greek and Girne in Turkish at 12:30 p.m. local time on Sunday. It began taking on water just a few kilometres offshore, eventually sinking to a depth of approximately 514 metres (1,690 feet).
Northern Cyprus President Tufan Erhurman described the event as the worst maritime disaster in the region’s history. Of the 270 people reported on board, 241 have been rescued. A massive search and rescue operation, coordinated by the Northern Cyprus coastguard command, is currently underway. The effort involves a fleet of passenger ships, five pilotage units, and two helicopters, supported by six additional naval units deployed by Turkish forces.
Erhan Arikli, the transport minister for the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, announced that his ministry will conduct an investigation independent of the ongoing police probe. He noted that survivors have raised serious allegations against the crew, including claims that the captain abandoned the ship and that certain doors remained locked during the emergency. Other passengers reported that the vessel began flooding shortly after leaving port and that their warnings to the crew were ignored.
The captain had issued a distress call as the ferry began to founder, which triggered the initial response from port authorities and coastguard teams. Images from the scene showed the vessel inverted in the water, with survivors wearing life vests clinging to the orange hull under sunny conditions. The Ministry of Health stated that all necessary preparations for emergency medical services are in place, with local hospitals alerted to handle incoming patients.
International reactions have been swift. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his condolences and confirmed that Turkiye has mobilized all available resources to assist in the search. Meanwhile, Konstantinos Letymbiotis, a spokesman for the government of the Republic of Cyprus, stated that Nicosia is prepared to provide immediate assistance, emphasizing that the protection of human life remains the primary priority.
The self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which occupies less than one-third of the island, is recognized solely by Turkiye. As the search for the 18 missing individuals continues, the focus remains on the ongoing rescue efforts and the unfolding investigation into the causes of the sinking. The report also notes that correspondent Resul Serdar said that finding those missing at sea was the priority and that “a huge deployment to the area as part of the search and rescue effort affiliated with the Northern Cyprus coastguard command” had begun. The report also notes that including the crew, had been on board the ferry and that 241 people had been rescued, he said that 267 people.
Source: Al Jazeera
