At least seven dead after ferry disaster off Northern Cyprus coast
A ferry carrying 267 people capsized off the coast of Northern Cyprus on Sunday, Turkish media report. At least seven people have died, while more than twenty remain missing.
A ferry accident occurred off the coast of Northern Cyprus on Sunday, with Turkish media reporting at least seven fatalities. The vessel capsized roughly four miles from shore.
Rescue services launched a search and rescue operation immediately after the incident. Tufan Erhurman, president of the internationally unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, told broadcaster CNN Türk that crews are still searching for 23 people, while 237 passengers have already been rescued.
267 people were on board
Transport Minister Erhan Arikli clarified that the ferry was carrying 267 people in total — 259 passengers and eight crew members. The vessel was travelling from Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus to Taşucu in Turkey.
Background on Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus is an internationally unrecognized state located in the northern part of the island of Cyprus. It emerged after Turkey's 1974 invasion of Cyprus, launched in response to a Greek-backed coup aimed at fully annexing the island. Northern Cyprus declared independence in 1983, but only Turkey recognizes it as a sovereign state. The rest of the international community, including the UN and the European Union, recognizes only the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island.
