At least 6 dead as ferry carrying 267 capsizes off Northern Cyprus; rescue operation underway

Istanbul: At least six people have died after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday.

More than 172 people have been rescued, Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus Unal Ustel told the Turkish state-run TRT news channel.

The vessel was travelling from Kyrenia, also known as Girne, to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin when it began taking on water shortly after departure. The cause was not immediately known.

Northern Cyprus' Public Works and Transport Minister Erhan Arikli said the ferry had 259 passengers and eight crew members on board. A distress call from the captain prompted the coast guard and port authorities to send rescue teams to the area.

The minister said rescue efforts were continuing, while fishing boats in the area also joined the operation. Witnesses reported that some passengers jumped into the sea after the vessel began taking on water.

Video footage from the scene showed the ferry overturned in the water, with passengers wearing life jackets and taking refuge on the vessel's orange hull. Multiple rescue boats were seen around the capsized ferry.

The ferry reportedly capsized a few kilometres off the coast of Kyrenia. Rescue helicopters, coast guard vessels and other boats were mobilised as authorities worked to bring passengers and crew to safety.

The health ministry of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) said hospitals had been alerted and were prepared to provide medical assistance if required.

"All necessary preparations are being made for a swift response from rescue and health services," the TRNC's health ministry said in a statement.

The incident took place on the busy sea route connecting Kyrenia with Tasucu in southern Turkey. The TRNC, which is recognised only by Turkey, controls the northern third of Cyprus, an island that has remained divided since 1974.