Passenger ferry capsizes off Kyrenia coast with 270 onboard
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A major search-and-rescue operation is underway off the coast of northern Cyprus after a passenger ferry capsized shortly after setting sail for Turkey.
The vessel overturned early Sunday afternoon approximately two kilometers (1.2 miles) north of the Kyrenia coast. The boat had departed from the port of Kyrenia and was en route to the southern Turkish port of Taşucu when it ran into emergency trouble.
"There are a total of 270 people on board the boat, including passengers and crew," stated Kyrenia Mayor Murat Şenkul, describing the ongoing crisis as "serious".
DENİZDE CAN PAZARI: KURTARILMAYI BEKLEYEN YÜZLERCE YOLCU, TERS DÖNEN GEMİNİN ÜZERİNDE BEKLİYOR!
— Özgür Gazete Kıbrıs (@CyprusNewspaper) August 30, 2026
Girne Limanı'ndan çıkış yaptıktan kısa süre sonra 2-3 km açıkta alabora olan 279 kişinin bulunduğu Filo Jet'e ait Express Yolcu Gemisi'ndeki yolcular ters dönen geminin üzerinde… pic.twitter.com/Z19sNxhW90
Coastguard vessels and a rescue helicopter were immediately dispatched to the scene to pull survivors from the sea.
Several private and commercial vessels anchored in Kyrenia harbour also set sail to support official emergency personnel in retrieving passengers from the water.
Authorities have not yet released confirmed casualty numbers or the initial cause of the capsizing as rescue crews work to bring survivors safely back to shore.
