At least six dead as ferry with nearly 270 aboard capsizes off northern Cyprus

A ferry carrying almost 270 people capsized on Sunday off the coast of the Turkish-controlled northern part of Cyprus. The region's prime minister, Ünal Üstel, told the state broadcaster TRT that the vessel had 259 passengers and eight crew members aboard, and that at least six people died in the disaster.

Üstel said more than 172 people had been rescued. Turkey's ambassador to Nicosia, Ali Murat Basceri, confirmed there were fatalities but did not give an exact figure, adding that some of the survivors had been taken to hospital.

Route from Kyrenia to Mersin

The catamaran-style ferry had set out from the port of Kyrenia, also known as Girne, in the breakaway northern part of Cyprus, bound for the port of Taşucu in Turkey's Mersin province. Kyrenia's mayor, Murat Şenkul, said the vessel belonged to the company Filo Denizcilik and went down off Diana beach.

According to TRT, the ferry began taking on water roughly 7.5km (four nautical miles) from shore. Video footage from the scene showed people in life vests floating in the water around the capsized ferry.

The cause of the incident and the final toll of dead and rescued have not yet been confirmed, and the situation remains developing.