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At least seven people died and 23 remained missing after a passenger ferry capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said.
The catamaran-style vessel, carrying 267 people including crew, overturned shortly after departing Kyrenia port, also known as Girne, at around 12:30 p.m. local time, bound for Taşucu Port in Turkey’s southern Mersin province. Üstel told Turkish media that 237 people had been rescued, while search and rescue operations continued for the missing .
The ferry began taking on water for an unknown reason shortly after leaving port, prompting the captain to issue a distress call, according to Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar. The Northern Cyprus Coast Guard Command deployed passenger ships, five pilotage units, and two helicopters, while Turkish Naval Forces assigned six additional naval units to the effort .
Images broadcast by Turkish television showed the upside-down ferry in the water, with passengers in life vests atop its orange hull. The mayor of Kyrenia, Murat Şenkul, described the situation as “very serious” and confirmed the vessel belonged to Filo Denizcilik, carrying 270 people in total. He noted that the Coast Guard, the *Akgünler Express* vessel, and numerous small boats were participating in rescue operations .
Transport Minister Erhan Arikli told Anadolu Agency that the ferry had overturned about 2 kilometers off the coast and that injured passengers were being transferred to Girne Port and local hospitals. The cause of the incident remains under investigation .
Üstel posted on X that the “utmost priority” was locating the 23 missing passengers, adding that all state institutions were coordinating in the rescue effort. “I offer my condolences from Allah for those who have passed away, and wish patience and strength to their families and loved ones,” he wrote .
The Turkish Cypriot health ministry stated that hospitals in the territory had been alerted to provide medical attention as needed . The ferry was identified as the *Diana* by local officials, who confirmed it sank near Diana Beach .
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