Larnaca’s joint rescue coordination centre (JRCC) on Sunday evening said that it was told that the Turkish Cypriot authorities “do not need the assistance” it had offered after a passenger ferry sank off the coast of Kyrenia earlier in the day.

Initially, the JRCC had said that it was “ready” to help the search-and-rescue operation launched in the north following the capsize of the boat, contacting the United Nations peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp) to request “that it be conveyed to the Turkish Cypriot side that the Republic of Cyprus is ready, if necessary”.

The Cyprus News Agency also reported that President Nikos Christodoulides instructed his chief negotiator Menelaos Menelaou to “request that there be communication” with Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman, “precisely to make clear the Republic of Cyprus’ readiness to provide all possible assistance”.

“When human lives are in danger, we contribute with every available means. The Republic of Cyprus has the means, the operational capability, and, above all, the readiness to assist immediately,” a government official was quoted as having said.

However, the offer was rejected, with Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel saying that as of 7pm, two aircraft, four helicopters, four unmanned drones, and four coastguard boats remain active in the area.

He added that he expects that a Turkish navy search and rescue vessel capable of searching at depths of up to 1,000 metres below the sea’s surface will arrive to join the effort later in the evening.

That vessel will allow for the search to expand to the sea floor, with ‘transport minister’ Erhan Arikli having said earlier in the day that the boat has sunk to 514 metres below the surface.

The ferry had capsized shortly after leaving the new port of Kyrenia at around 12.10pm, having been en route to the Turkish port of Tasucu.

At present, eight people are confirmed to have died as a result of the incident, while 17 people remain unaccounted for.