Search-and-rescue crews continued operations Monday after a passenger ferry carrying 267 passengers and crew capsized off the northern coast of Cyprus, leaving at least eight people dead and approximately 20 others missing, as reported by Fox News.
The ferry was traveling from Kyrenia in northern Cyprus to the Turkish port of Tasucu when it began taking on water shortly after departing Sunday, according to Reuters.
Nearby vessels and coast guard crews responded after the emergency began, rescuing survivors from the water and from the overturned ferry.
Reportedly 8 people have died following a boat capsizing off the coast northern Cyprus.
The captain and 7x crew members have been taken into custody and over 200 people have been rescued.
Boat accordingly…#cyprus #turkey #boat #sailing #boating #capsize #Türkiye #greece… pic.twitter.com/AaIijnqJRB
— Mrgunsngear (@Mrgunsngear) August 30, 2026
The search remained underway Monday as authorities worked to account for everyone aboard.
Among those reported missing were siblings Miray Bicer, 12, and Mehmet Asaf Bicer, 6. The children had been visiting Cyprus with their family before the ferry departed Kyrenia.
Their mother, Ayten Bicer, described her efforts to hold onto her daughter as the vessel overturned.
“She was saying, ‘Don’t let go,'” Bicer told Reuters. “And I didn’t let go of my daughter. I swear, I didn’t let her go.”
According to Bicer, a suitcase fell on her during the chaos, causing her to lose her grip on the girl. She said she managed to grab her daughter’s foot, but oil from the vessel made the area slippery, and the child slipped away.
Officials increased the number of people considered missing from 18 to 20 on Monday after reviewing passenger records and comparing them with the list of known survivors, Reuters reported.
Recovery and search efforts have been complicated by the location of the wreckage.
Seven killed and 23 missing after boat capsizes off northern Cyprus, says Turkish Cypriot PM pic.twitter.com/A95FIETLlh
— Emperor (@bestlifewishes_) August 30, 2026
The ferry lies in water more than 1,600 feet deep, creating significant challenges for crews attempting to search the area and determine whether anyone may have remained inside the vessel.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman said a ship from Turkey equipped to assist with seabed operations was expected to arrive Tuesday.
Authorities had not determined whether anyone was trapped inside the sunken ferry.
Officials have also opened an investigation into what caused the vessel to begin taking on water and eventually capsize.
Nine people connected to the ferry’s operations were detained as part of the investigation, according to Reuters.
Authorities said the vessel held a valid seaworthiness certificate.
Weather conditions have also become part of the investigation.
Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel said the ferry encountered adverse weather and began taking on water approximately 15 minutes after leaving port, according to the Associated Press.
Erhurman offered a different assessment, however, saying weather conditions “were not bad” and cautioning against speculation about what caused the sinking before investigators complete their work.
The internationally recognized government of Cyprus has also offered assistance with the search-and-rescue operation, according to the Associated Press.
As of Monday, emergency crews and nearby vessels continued searching for the approximately 20 people still unaccounted for.
The incident has prompted a large-scale rescue effort involving authorities in northern Cyprus and assistance from Turkey, while investigators work to determine how a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers and crew began taking on water shortly after departure.
The search remains ongoing as authorities continue reviewing passenger records, searching the waters surrounding the wreck and preparing for additional seabed operations.
