A ferry carrying hundreds of people capsized off northern Cyprus shortly after leaving port, killing at least six people as rescue teams raced to pull survivors from the sea.
Ünal Üstel, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said the vessel had a total of 267 people on board when it rolled over soon after departure, according to the Turkish state news agency Anadolu.
Mr Üstel said 172 people had been rescued so far and that efforts were still under way to evacuate the remaining passengers and crew, Anadolu reported.
Turkey’s ambassador to Nicosia, Ali Murat Basceri, confirmed that there were fatalities, but did not provide a figure.
Speaking to Turkish state broadcaster TRT, he said “the large majority of the 259 passengers have been rescued”.
Officials did not immediately know what caused the ferry to capsize.
The incident happened shortly after the ship left the northern Cyprus port of Kyrenia on a route to the Turkish port of Tasucu.
Television footage aired in Turkey showed the ferry overturned in the water, its orange hull visible as people in life vests gathered on top. Under clear, sunny skies, several nearby boats were shown converging to help.
The TRNC, recognised only by Turkey, governs the northern third of Cyprus, an island divided since 1974.
That year, Ankara took control of the area after a Greek Cypriot coup backed by Athens sought union with Greece. Today, the TRNC maintains regular air and sea connections with Turkey.
“All necessary preparations are being made for a swift response from rescue and health services,” the TRNC’s health ministry said in a statement.
It said hospitals across the territory had been placed on alert to provide any medical care required.
The TRNC relies on Turkey, and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said on X that “we are providing all necessary assistance to the search and rescue operations”.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to travel to the TRNC tomorrow to meet its president, Tufan Erhurmann, who was elected by voters in October.
The trip will be Mr Erdogan’s first visit since 2023.
