A large ferry travelling from Northern Cyprus to Turkiye capsized and sank in the sea in a tragic accident, claiming the lives of at least eight passengers so far, with several others reported missing. The vessel is believed to have been carrying around 270 passengers at the time of the incident.
The ferry had set off from the well-known port of Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus, bound for Turkiye. However, just 15 minutes into the journey, weather conditions deteriorated suddenly. Battered by strong winds and towering waves, the vessel lost control and began to sink, sending passengers into a state of panic amid the unexpected disaster.
Rescue teams and coast guard personnel responded swiftly upon receiving word that the ferry was sinking. Search and rescue teams that reached the site managed to safely pull around 237 passengers out of the water and bring them ashore. Some of those rescued sustained minor injuries and are currently receiving preliminary treatment at local hospitals.
https://twitter.com/Devesh81403955/status/2094224475025989829Reacting to the disaster, Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel expressed shock, attributing the tragedy primarily to the sudden deterioration in weather conditions. He said that search operations at sea were continuing at full pace to locate the remaining passengers still unaccounted for.