The incident occurred on Sunday after the vessel departed from the port of Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus, heading to the port of Tasucu in Mersin Province, Türkiye.
Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel said the boat was carrying 267 people when it sank shortly after leaving the port. He said 172 people had so far been rescued, while search and rescue operations for those still missing were continuing.
Emergency authorities said rescue teams immediately launched a search operation for passengers who were on board. Video footage showed several passengers in the water near the vessel, many of them wearing life jackets.
Northern Cyprus Transport Minister Erhan Arikli said rescue operations began immediately after the incident was reported.
Health authorities in Northern Cyprus said hospitals in the area had been placed on standby to receive passengers who may have been injured or required medical assistance.
The cause of the sinking remains unknown. Authorities have also not yet identified the company operating the vessel, as several companies provide passenger services between Kyrenia and Tasucu.
Northern Cyprus is the northern part of the island of Cyprus, which is recognized internationally as part of the Republic of Cyprus but has been administered by the Turkish Cypriot authorities and recognized as a state only by Türkiye. The island has remained divided since 1974 following political and military conflict.
Türkiye’s Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said his country was providing all necessary support for the search and rescue efforts.
Search and rescue operations for those still missing were continuing as authorities worked to establish the full circumstances surrounding the accident.
