At least eight people died and 17 others remained missing after a passenger ferry carrying 267 people capsized off the northern coast of Cyprus on Sunday, according to officials. The disaster prompted a large-scale search-and-rescue operation involving coast guard vessels, helicopters, and civilian boats.
Vessel Details and Voyage
The catamaran-style ferry Filojet was transporting 259 passengers and eight crew members from Kyrenia—also referred to as Girne—to the Turkish port of Taşucu, according to local authorities. The vessel departed at approximately 12:30 p.m. local time and began taking on water roughly four nautical miles from shore. Officials noted that the ferry’s departure had been postponed from Saturday due to bad weather.
More than 237 people were rescued from the water, according to government statements. Footage from the scene captured passengers wearing life jackets in the water, alongside individuals standing and sitting on the overturned hull of the ferry while rescue craft converged on the area.
Investigation and Cause
The precise cause of the sinking remains under investigation. Prime Minister Ünal Üstel stated that two large waves struck the ferry, with the second wave causing the vessel to take on water. One rescued passenger told local media outlets that a loud noise emanated from the bow before the vessel rolled over, its windows blew out, and water rushed inside.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman cautioned against immediately attributing the disaster to weather conditions, stating that conditions on Sunday were considered appropriate for travel despite severe storms in the region the previous day. By Sunday evening, the ferry had settled on the seabed, complicating efforts to locate any individuals who may have remained trapped inside. Specialized equipment and divers from Turkey were deployed to assist.
Prime Minister Üstel announced that authorities had detained the captain and crew members of the ferry. Investigators will examine whether negligence contributed to what officials described as the worst maritime disaster in the history of northern Cyprus.
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