A passenger ferry capsized early on Sunday afternoon shortly after departing from Kyrenia for the Turkish port of Tasucu.

The boat capsized around two kilometres north of the coast of Kyrenia, with Turkish Cypriot coastguard boats being deployed to the scene, with a rescue helicopter being sent as backup, and various other boats setting sail from Kyrenia to aid in the rescue efforts.

Later in the afternoon, the north’s ‘transport minister’ Erhan Arikli said the boat had begun taking on water around four miles, or six and a half kilometres, off the coast of Kyrenia.

He also confirmed that the boat had 259 passengers and eight crew on board.

Both he and Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel travelled to Kyrenia to oversee the recovery operation, while all events in Kyrenia which had been planned to take place to mark Turkey’s Victory Day – the anniversary of the 1922 Battle of Dumlupinar – were cancelled.

The fleet of ambulances lined up at Kyrenia’s new port

In addition, the Turkish Cypriot Lapithos, Karavas, and Myrtou municipality – known as the Lac municipality – advised would-be bathers to not get into the sea due to the “irregular movements” going on off the coast.

Meanwhile, the north’s ‘health ministry’ deployed a fleet of ambulances to the passenger terminal of Kyrenia’s new port in anticipation of the arrival of lifeboats and other vessels used to bring the passengers ashore, saying that “all the necessary preparations have been made to ensure that health services can be provided quickly”.

More to follow…