A passenger ferry carrying around 270 people capsized off North Cyprus on Sunday afternoon, shortly after leaving the port of Kyrenia. Rescue teams were immediately deployed to the area as authorities began searching for passengers and assessing the situation.
Officials have not yet confirmed whether anyone was killed or seriously injured. However, rescue operations were continuing as authorities worked to bring everyone to safety.
Ferry Was Heading to Turkey
The catamaran-style ferry had departed from Kyrenia, also known as Girne, in the northern part of Cyprus. It was travelling towards Tasucu, a Turkish port in Mersin province.
The ferry reportedly began taking in water around four miles from the coast, according to local reports. Ambulances were sent to the area as emergency teams prepared to assist those on board.
"All necessary preparations are being made for a swift response from rescue and health services," the health ministry of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus said in a statement.
Terrifying footage captures the moment a passenger ferry with 279 people capsizes off the coast of Northern Cyprus.
— Predictivemoney (@Predictivemoney) August 30, 2026
Passengers can be seen scrambling onto the overturned keel and jumping into open water as the ship went down just miles after departing the port of Kyrenia.
A… pic.twitter.com/rH9FUXSvKM
Around 100 People Rescued
Northern Cyprus Transportation Minister Erhan Arikli confirmed that the vessel had overturned and said rescue teams had reached the scene. According to Arikli, around 100 people had been rescued and taken back to Kyrenia. Search and rescue operations remained underway as authorities continued efforts to locate and assist other passengers.
“We don’t know what caused the vessel to take on water,” Arikli said. The cause of the incident was not immediately clear. Authorities had not yet identified the ferry operator responsible for the vessel. Several companies operate services along the busy Kyrenia-Tasucu route.
Social Media Videos Show Passengers in Water
Images and videos circulating on social media appeared to show people wearing life jackets and floating in the sea near the overturned ferry.
Emergency teams continued to work in the area while authorities assessed the condition of the vessel and searched for passengers who may still have been in the water. The incident has raised concerns because the ferry was carrying a large number of passengers when it overturned shortly after departing from port.
Separate Migrant Boat Incident in Tunisia
The ferry accident came as another maritime incident was reported off the coast of southern Tunisia. A boat carrying migrants capsized, leaving at least two people dead and around 12 others missing, according to Tunisia's national guard. One person was rescued from the incident.
National Guard spokesperson Houssem Eddine Jebabli said authorities recovered two bodies. The bodies were taken to a hospital on the nearby island of Djerba.
Jebabli also told national radio station Mosaique FM that around 15 people were believed to have been aboard the boat when it departed from an area between the cities of Zarzis and Ben Guerdane. Authorities continued efforts to locate those who remained missing.