There have been “losses of life” recorded after a passenger ferry capsized off the coast of Kyrenia, Turkey’s ambassador in Nicosia Ali Murat Basceri said on Sunday.

He told Turkish public broadcaster TRT that the boat had issued a may-day call at 12.10pm, saying that it was “taking on water” at a distance of around three miles north of the coast of Cyprus.

“Unfortunately, there have been losses of life,” he said, before adding that “a large number of people have been brought ashore”.

More to follow…