By Bosphorus News Life Desk
Seven people were killed and 23 remained missing Sunday after a passenger ferry carrying 267 people capsized off Kyrenia in northern Cyprus, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation involving Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces.
The FİLOJET was carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members from Kyrenia to Taşucu in Türkiye's southern Mersin province when it began taking on water about four nautical miles from shore shortly after departing at 12:30 p.m. The vessel later overturned. The cause has not been established.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman said 237 people had been rescued, seven had died and teams were still trying to reach 23 people. The figures account for all 267 people reported aboard.
Erhürman said no rescued passenger was reported in serious condition, although some were receiving treatment at several hospitals. He said the sea at the accident site was more than 500 meters deep, complicating work below the surface, and urged against speculation over the cause. Police have opened an investigation.
Türkiye expanded its deployment after the accident. The Interior Ministry said five Turkish Coast Guard vessels and two Coast Guard helicopters had been sent to the area, while the Turkish Navy assigned six naval units to support the operation. Four Turkish Cypriot Coast Guard vessels and the passenger ship AKGÜNLER 3 were also involved.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz said institutions from Türkiye and northern Cyprus were working together and that Türkiye was providing the resources requested for the rescue effort.
The Republic of Cyprus also offered assistance. President Nikos Christodoulides instructed chief negotiator Menelaos Menelaou to contact Erhürman and convey that support was available if needed, according to local reporting citing the Cyprus News Agency. The Larnaca Joint Rescue Coordination Center also contacted the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), offering air search-and-rescue assets for the operation if requested.
The Turkish Embassy in Nicosia cancelled a reception scheduled for Sunday evening to mark Türkiye's August 30 Victory Day because of the deaths in the ferry accident.
Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmuş also issued condolences for those killed and expressed hope that the continuing operation would bring the remaining passengers and crew to safety.
Filo Denizcilik, which operates the FİLOJET, said it had established a crisis desk and dedicated information lines for relatives and was coordinating with rescue authorities. The company asked families and the public to rely on information issued by the company and official authorities while the operation continued.
Sources: Reuters, Türkiye's Interior Ministry, TRT Haber, Turkish Cypriot Prime Ministry, Gündem Kıbrıs, Filo Denizcilik, Bosphorus News review and reporting.