A commercial passenger ferry operated by shipping company Filo Jet has capsized and sunk off the coast of Northern Cyprus, leaving seven people dead. Emergency rescue teams have saved 237 survivors from the water, while 23 passengers remain missing following the maritime disaster on Sunday, August 30.
Transport Minister Erhan Arıklı confirmed that the vessel went down to a depth of 514 metres in the Mediterranean Sea, according to a report by Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
A total of 279 people were on board when the ship began taking on water two kilometres off the coast of Girne. The ferry overturned shortly afterwards, casting passengers into the sea while travelling from Northern Cyprus to the Turkish port of Taşucu.
Reports indicated that Russian citizens could have been among the passengers on board the vessel at the time of the emergency.
Maritime Links and Regional Geography
Northern Cyprus is located in the northern portion of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Girne, also known as Kyrenia, is a major port city situated on its northern coastline, featuring a historic harbour and serving as a key hub for passenger ships.
The port of Taşucu is located in the Silifke district of Mersin Province on the southern coast of Turkey. It serves as the main mainland terminal for regular passenger and vehicle ferries crossing the Cilician Sea between Turkey and northern Cyprus.
Filo Jet is a commercial maritime company that operates scheduled ferry connections across the sea corridor separating Cyprus from the Turkish mainland. The crossing represents one of the primary sea routes serving passengers travelling between the two regions.
Emergency teams pulled 237 survivors safely from the sea after the craft overturned. Search and rescue efforts remained ongoing in the maritime area off the Girne coastline as authorities sought to locate the 23 missing passengers.
