Passengers aboard a ferry that sank off the coast of northern Cyprus have claimed crew members dismissed repeated warnings that the vessel was taking on water before the disaster, which left eight people dead.
Rescue teams were continuing their search through the night for about 18 people still unaccounted for after the ferry, carrying 270 passengers, capsized and went down.
Authorities have arrested the ship’s captain and seven crew members as investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the ferry’s sinking.
The vessel had departed from Kyrenia, also known as Girne, at 11.58am and was travelling to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province, with an expected arrival time of 5.52pm local time.
But within just 15 minutes of leaving port, the journey turned catastrophic as water reportedly began entering the boat.
Passengers who spoke to Turkish Cypriot journalist Tumay Tugyan said the ferry had set out in stormy conditions and that they pleaded for the crew to turn back.
They said they alerted the captain and crew that the ferry was taking on water, but claimed their concerns were ignored.
As the vessel continued to sink and panic grew on board, passengers rushed to find life jackets in a desperate bid to survive.
A rescue mission will continue into the night after a ferry carrying around 270 passengers capsized shortly after departing from the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday
Footage shows the upside-down ferry in the water, with people wearing life vests on top of its orange hull
Some can be seen sitting on the outer hull of the upturned vessel in life jackets
Former President of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar meets with families waiting at the port entrance
Families gather at a hospital, as 18 people remain missing from the vessel
Video footage showed chaotic scenes on board, as life jackets were in short supply, leading to some jumping into the water without any buoyancy aids.
One rescued passenger said he spent an hour and a half in the water before being rescued.
The man, aged in his 50s and not named, told local Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) television that the front of the boat ‘exploded’ and the ‘side windows ‘blew out’ as the boat took on more and more water.
‘Those who could, got out,’ he said, adding that he saw the captain among the first to abandon ship ‘without organising anything’.
Moments later the boat capsized 6.5 kilometres (four miles) off the coast of Cyprus.
Several rescued passengers told local media that a blast had gone off at the bow before it rolled over.
Another witness, in his thirties, corroborated reports of an explosion. He said he had reported water leaks to the captain.
‘The seats started to float, the captain kept going, and the bow exploded,’ he said.
A major rescue operation remains ongoing and will continue into the night, after Turkish Cypriot coastguard boats and rescue helicopters rushed to the scene earlier today.
Ambulances were also dispatched to the scene to take survivors to local hospitals.
‘The vessel had been moving very badly. It was constantly lifting out of the water and slamming back down. It was shaking violently,’ survivor Efe Multici told CNN Turk.
He added: ‘Three or four minutes later, the ferry leapt high into the air, then came crashing down. The front left side burst open and water started pouring in.’
The ferry had been carrying a total of 267 people, according to authorities, of which 161 were rescued and taken to hospital and 76 have returned home.
The government of the self-styled TRNC has declared a three-day mourning period over the tragedy.
Unal Ustel, prime minister of the self-proclaimed TRNC, confirmed the ship’s captain and seven crew members had been arrested.
Declaring it the ‘biggest maritime disaster’ in the country’s history, he said rescue operations would continue until all of the missing people are found.
He added: ‘We are deeply saddened. There has been loss of life and there are injuries.
‘We are on the ground with all our resources.’
The TRNC’s transport minister Erhan Arikli said the ferry had ‘completely sunk to a depth of 514 metres (1,686 feet)’.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences and said his government was coordinating with Northern Cyprus in the search-and-rescue effort.
‘We hope we’ll be receiving positive news,’ Mr Erdogan said on Sunday in Ankara while speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Turkish Military Academy.
A Foreign Office spokesman told Our News Outlet: ‘We are liaising with local authorities following a ferry incident in northern Cyprus.’
Currently, it is unknown whether any British people were on board.
Survivors pictured on board a rescue boat heading back to the shore where ambulances are waiting
The Filo Jet vessel is a high-speed craft, 40 metres long and 10 metres wide, that sails under the flag of Turkey, according to Marine Traffic (stock image)
A helicopter brings survivors ashore after they were rescued from the sea
Reports suggest the vessel began taking on water between two to four miles off the shore
The distance by sea between Kyrenia and Taşucu is approximately 40 miles, with the crossing relatively short compared to other Mediterranean ferry routes.
The Cyprus Department of Meteorology’s forecast for the north coast today described the sea as generally Slight – meaning the water had small, gentle waves.
After around two miles offshore, ships become more exposed and can move noticeably with the waves.
The mayor of Kyrenia, Murat Senkul, said the situation is ‘very serious’ and rescue teams are still trying to reach 23 people.
He said the ship belonged to the Filo Denizcilik ferry company and sank off the coast of Diana beach on the island’s northern coast.
The TRNC, which is recognised only by Turkey, controls the northern third of the island of Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974.
Ankara occupied that part of the island that year in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup seeking union with Greece. The TRNC today is served with regular air and sea links to Turkey.
Cypriot government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said in a post on X Sunday that the government had expressed its readiness to assist in search-and-rescue efforts with all available means.
‘In these trying times, our thoughts are with those who lost their lives, those who were injured and all those who are living this tragedy,’ Mr Letymbiotis said.
‘At such times, the protection of human life is paramount.’
Survivors arrive on shore after being rescued from the sea after the boat capsized off Kyrenia, northern Cyprus
Rescue boats bring passengers to shore from the capsized ferry on Sunday afternoon
A statement on the ferry company Filo Denizcilik’s website reads: ‘We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that occurred on August 30, 2026, on our vessel, Filo Jet, in Girne.
‘Our company’s sole and most urgent priority at this time is the safety of our 259 passengers and crew on board.
‘From the moment the incident occurred, a crisis management team was established within our company, and all our resources were mobilized to the field in full coordination with all authorized search and rescue teams. Search and rescue and evacuation operations are continuing uninterrupted and with the utmost care.
‘We share the great concern of the families and loved ones of our passengers. To provide passengers’ families with immediate and accurate information, a special crisis and information hotline has been established.
‘Our prayers and all our strength are with the passengers, crew, and rescue teams on board the ship.’
