The sinking of a ferry carrying 267 people off the north coast of Cyprus resulted in the death of 6 passengers.
The sinking of a ferry carrying 267 people off the north coast of Cyprus resulted in the death of 6 passengers.
On Sunday, six individuals lost their lives when a ferry sank off the northern coast of Cyprus. The ferry was carrying 267 individuals, comprising 259 passengers and eight crew members. Rescue operations continued as survivors were transferred to the shore.
According to CNN Türk, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel confirmed the registration of six fatalities due to the incident. In addition, the Minister of Public Works and Transport, Erhan Arıklı, stated that the ferry was carrying 259 passengers along with its eight crew members.
As reported by the Anadolu Agency, the privately-owned ferry departed from the port of Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus, at 12:30 PM local time, destined for the port of Taşucu in Turkey’s Mersin province, before water began to seep into it for reasons yet to be clarified.
Local reports indicated that the ferry started taking on water about four miles from the coast, prompting authorities to initiate rescue operations involving coast guard teams and several private vessels.
The Mayor of Kyrenia, Murat Şenkul, announced that 159 of the ferry’s passengers had been reached. Additionally, video footage showed several passengers wearing life jackets, sitting or standing on parts of the capsized ferry.
Some of the survivors were transported to the port of Kyrenia and subsequently to hospitals for medical care. Meanwhile, the relevant authorities continue their search and rescue operations and are investigating the causes of the water leakage and the ferry’s sinking.
