A passenger ferry carrying 267 people sank after taking on water about 4 miles (6.44 kilometers) off the coast of Girne (Kyrenia) in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Sunday afternoon, prompting a large-scale rescue operation, according to TRNC Minister of Public Works and Transport Erhan Arıklı.
The catamaran-type passenger vessel had departed Girne for Mersin’s Taşucu district in southern Türkiye when it began taking on water shortly after departure, Arıklı said.
The vessel later capsized, while TRNC Coast Guard Command and Civil Defense teams were dispatched to the scene. Coast guard boats, helicopters and civilian boats and vessels in the area took part in the rescue operation as passengers were evacuated and transferred to safer locations.
Arıklı said coast guard teams reached the scene approximately 15 to 20 minutes after receiving the report.
Another passenger vessel that had been waiting at Girne Port was also dispatched to the accident site and began taking passengers aboard. Other vessels in the area were mobilized to assist with the evacuation.
TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel later said the vessel was carrying 267 people, including 259 passengers and eight crew members, and that the ship had been scheduled to travel to Türkiye the previous day but departed on Sunday due to weather conditions.
Üstel said the vessel was hit by a first wave and that, while the captain was attempting to regain control, a second wave caused it to take on water.
As the rescue operation continued, authorities prepared for the arrival of evacuated passengers at Girne Port, where ambulances were standing by. Civil Defense teams also set up a medical treatment tent at the port to provide first aid to passengers. Those requiring further medical attention were transferred to hospitals, Arıklı said.
“We have taken all necessary precautions on the shore. Our ambulances are standing by,” he said.
Arıklı later said there were both seriously injured passengers and those in stable condition among those rescued. Türkiye’s ambassador to Lefkoşa (Nicosia), Ali Murat Başçeri, also confirmed that there were fatalities, saying that the majority of the passengers had been rescued.
Üstel later said 237 people had been rescued and seven people had died, while search-and-rescue operations were continuing. Authorities said 23 people were still being searched for.
The TRNC Interior Ministry said five coast guard vessels and two coast guard helicopters had been dispatched to the area, while the Turkish Naval Forces Command assigned six naval assets to support the rescue operation. The passenger vessel AKGÜNLER 3 was also deployed to assist with the evacuation.
A Crisis Desk chaired by Üstel also convened following the capsizing of the passenger vessel, according to a statement from the TRNC Prime Ministry. TRNC President Tufan Erhürman visited the scene and received updates from the Crisis Desk.
The meeting was attended by the ministers of transport, health, interior, finance and agriculture, as well as the commander of the Cyprus Turkish Peace Forces, the commander of the Security Forces, the director general of police and the head of the Civil Defense Organization.
The meeting decided to continue search-and-rescue operations without interruption by mobilizing all available resources, closely monitoring the treatment of the injured and ensuring that all state institutions continue to operate in full coordination.
“Our sole priority right now is human life. All institutions of our state, our security forces, health teams and search-and-rescue units are on the ground in full coordination. All necessary resources have been mobilized. We are following the process moment by moment together with our Crisis Desk,” Üstel said.
Arıklı added that rescue teams were working intensively to continue the operation and bring those still missing ashore.
