Overview
- A two‑deck katamaran carrying 267 people capsized a few kilometres off Kyrenia after leaving port, and local authorities say multiple passengers have died.
- Rescue and recovery operations led by TRNC and Turkish coast guard ships, navy vessels, helicopters and civilian boats have saved hundreds of people and continue to search for missing passengers.
- Officials say the ferry sent a distress call reporting water ingress and that the captain’s attempt to turn the vessel failed before the vessel rolled and sank.
- The captain and seven crew members were detained as investigations begin, and an eyewitness claim that the bow exploded has been reported but remains unverified.
- A severe storm that hit Cyprus hours earlier complicated response efforts and is being examined alongside technical and operational causes; the ferry route links Kyrenia in the Turkish‑administered north with Taşucu in Turkey.