At least seven people have died and 24 remain missing after a passenger ferry travelling towards Türkiye capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Northern Cyprus, according to reports. The vessel was carrying more than 270 passengers when the accident occurred on Sunday.

Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel said 237 people had been rescued so far, while search and rescue teams continued operations for those still unaccounted for. Several passengers reportedly climbed onto the overturned ferry to stay above the water and survive until help arrived.

The ferry had departed from Kyrenia in Northern Cyprus for Tasucu port in Türkiye's Mersin province. According to Turkish media reports, the vessel began taking on water around 15 minutes after leaving port amid bad weather before eventually capsizing.

Rescue operation continues

Coast guard vessels, civilian boats and ships operated by private companies have been involved in the rescue operation. Ambulances were also positioned along the coast to assist survivors.

The accident occurred about 7.5 kilometres from the Northern Cyprus coastline, according to reports. Authorities continued searching the surrounding waters for the missing passengers while rescued people were being brought to safety.

The circumstances that caused the ferry to take on water and overturn are expected to be examined as part of the investigation.

Ferry was travelling between Cyprus and Türkiye

The vessel was a catamaran-style ferry operating between Kyrenia and Tasucu. A catamaran has two parallel hulls, a design generally intended to provide greater stability compared with conventional single-hull vessels.

However, the design does not make a ferry immune to capsizing. Severe weather, strong winds, high waves or problems involving vessel loading and operation can increase maritime risks.

The ferry accident has drawn attention because large passenger-ferry capsizings are relatively unusual in the waters around Cyprus, even though smaller vessel accidents occur regularly in the wider Mediterranean.

Mediterranean has history of deadly boat accidents

The Mediterranean has witnessed numerous maritime disasters, particularly involving small and overloaded migrant boats. The region has remained a major route for people attempting dangerous sea crossings.

A migrant boat accident near Cape Greco in March 2025 reportedly killed seven people. However, the capsizing of a passenger ferry carrying more than 270 people represents a significantly different scale of maritime incident.

Authorities are now expected to establish whether weather conditions, flooding, mechanical problems, loading or other operational factors contributed to Sunday's accident.

Ferry safety rules strengthened after major disasters

International ferry safety standards have evolved following several major maritime disasters.

The 1987 Herald of Free Enterprise disaster, in which 193 people died after the ferry capsized near Belgium, led to stronger requirements concerning vessel doors, bridge indications and systems for detecting water ingress.

The 1994 Estonia disaster in the Baltic Sea, which killed more than 850 people, prompted further attention to vessel stability, emergency procedures and evacuation requirements.

Later international safety-management rules also placed greater responsibility on shipping companies rather than leaving safety solely to the captain and crew.

Further measures introduced over subsequent decades focused on ensuring that damaged vessels could, where possible, remain operational long enough to return safely to port rather than immediately requiring passengers to abandon ship.

The International Maritime Organization has also highlighted the safety risks associated with domestic ferry operations. Guidelines developed for domestic ferry services have addressed areas including vessel inspections, crew requirements, emergency communication and lifesaving equipment.

Investigation to determine cause

With seven deaths confirmed and 24 people still missing according to the figures cited in the supplied reports, rescue teams remain focused on locating survivors and recovering victims.

Officials are expected to assess the ferry's condition, weather at the time of departure, passenger load and other operational circumstances to determine how the vessel began taking on water so soon after leaving port.

The final assessment of the accident will depend on the findings of the authorities investigating the incident.