Search Operations Underway for 18 Missing After Deadly Ferry Capsizes Off Northern Cyprus

Ayten and Hayri Bicer wait anxiously for updates regarding their two missing children after a ferry tragically capsized off the coast of Northern Cyprus, leaving eight people dead and prompting a large-scale ongoing search for 18 others.

Following the disaster, the captain and eight additional individuals were brought before a judge and formally placed under arrest early Monday, as three days of national mourning officially commenced according to the state news agency of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).

The vessel encountered severe difficulties around midday on Sunday, shortly after departing from the northern port of Girne—also referred to as Kyrenia—en route to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province. The journey was part of the regular daily sea shuttle services operating between the region and Turkiye.

Local authorities reported that a major rescue operation was immediately launched for the 267 passengers and crew members aboard the ferry. Out of the total number of people on the ship, 241 were successfully rescued, eight lost their lives, and 18 remain unaccounted for, with their nationalities currently unpublished by officials.

The wreckage now rests on the seabed at a depth exceeding 500 meters, leaving uncertainty as to whether any individuals remain trapped inside the sunken vessel. Survivors recounted that the boat began taking on water prior to capsizing, with some reporting an explosion near the front of the ship and others highlighting a critical shortage of safety equipment.

Broadcast footage from Turkish television displayed the overturned ferry, showing passengers in life jackets gathered atop the prominent orange hull. Passenger Efe Multici described the harrowing situation to CNN Turk, stating that individuals had to jump without lifebuoys or life jackets in what became a desperate fight for survival.

Serkan Kunduraci managed to escape the sinking vessel through a broken window, later recounting to the DHA news agency that he witnessed children and other passengers drowning approximately 7.5 kilometers off the Cypriot coast. Rescuer Muhammed Ozcelik, operator of a local water sports company, arrived among the first responders to pull survivors from the water, noting that his boat reached full capacity amidst desperate pleas for help from those stranded.

Authorities stated that recovering the vessel's data recorder, commonly known as the black box, will be crucial in determining the exact cause of the disaster. Meanwhile, specialized divers from Turkiye have joined local teams to assist in the ongoing search efforts.