Eight dead after ferry capsizes off northern Cyprus, captain detained

At least eight people have died and 17 remain missing after a ferry carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members capsized and sank off northern Cyprus on Sunday (30 August 2026).

The Filo Jet, a privately operated high-speed catamaran run by Filo Denizcilik, was travelling from Kyrenia, also known as Girne, to the Turkish port of Taşucu in Mersin province. It left at about 12.30pm local time after its planned Saturday sailing was delayed because of poor weather conditions.

The vessel began taking on water around 7-7.5km off the northern Cyprus coast. Ünal Üstel, prime minister of the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), said the ferry was struck by two waves, and that the captain was trying to recover from the first when a second wave hit and water began entering the vessel.

Survivors said the catamaran was moving violently before its bow was damaged as it hit the sea. Efe Multici told CNN Türk: “The vessel had been moving very badly. It was constantly lifting out of the water and slamming back down. It was shaking violently.

“Three or four minutes later, ‌the ferry leapt high into the air, then came crashing down. The front ‌left side burst open and water started pouring in.”

Passengers then entered the sea as the vessel overturned. Footage shared online shows the ferry upside down, with people in life jackets either in the water or on its hull. Suitcases and other belongings can also be seen floating nearby.

Several survivors alleged that there were not enough life jackets on board. “Some people had to jump without a lifebuoy or a life jacket. It was a fight for survival,” survivor Efe Multici tells CNN Türk.

Mustafa Koc, who used his own boat to rescue about 65 people, told the BBC that the ferry should have remained in port until conditions improved.

“It wasn’t safe for them,” he says. “The sea was quite choppy.”

Koc said the vessel had arrived in Kyrenia on Saturday and appeared to have sustained damage to its front. The Filo Jet is approximately 40m long and 10m wide and sails under the Turkish flag, according to Marine Traffic.

Rescue teams sent to the scene

Rescue teams from the Turkish Cypriot coastguard and Turkey were sent to the scene. Four local coastguard boats, two helicopters and additional Turkish vessels took part in the search, while ambulances were stationed on shore. A specialist deep-sea search team from Turkey was also expected to assist because the wreck lies more than 500m below the surface.

Authorities believe some passengers may have been trapped inside cabins when the ferry overturned. Children are among those still missing.

Ayten Bicer told local media that her six-year-old son Mehmet and 12-year-old daughter Saliha disappeared during the incident.

“I lost two of my children,” Bicer tells Turkey’s DHA news agency. “My daughter slipped out of my hands right in front of my eyes. She said, ‘Don’t let go.’ And I didn’t let go of my daughter. I swear, I didn’t let her go.”

Bicer says a suitcase struck her during the chaos and caused her daughter to slip from her grasp. She managed to catch her daughter’s leg but lost her grip after her shoe became covered in engine oil.

Captain and crew detained

The captain, 66-year-old Mustafa Oz, and seven crew members have been detained as part of the investigation. Several reports claim that nine people connected with the ferry’s operation, including company shareholders, have been arrested.

There are also unconfirmed reports from witnesses that the captain had abandoned the ferry after it capsized. This has not yet been independently verified.

The cause of the sinking remains under investigation. Authorities said the vessel appeared to hold the required permits and safety certification. They are now seeking to recover its black box recorder to help establish what happened.

Ünal Üstel, the prime minister of the TRNC, says an investigation has been launched.

“Every aspect of this incident will be investigated. Even the slightest negligence will be revealed,” he says in a statement. “Whoever is responsible, whether they are guilty or not, will not be spared.

“It is the responsibility of our state to fully illuminate all aspects of this great disaster, as well as to our people and families who have lost and their families.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan offered his condolences and said Turkey was working with the TRNC on the search and rescue operation. “The efforts to reach the missing continue without interruption,” he says.

The TRNC declared three days of mourning following the disaster.

Northern Cyprus has been administered by the self-declared TRNC since 1983, a state recognised only by Turkey. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, with the internationally recognised Republic of Cyprus controlling the south and the TRNC administering the north.

Two yachts destroyed and businessman killed in storm

In a separate incident, two yachts were destroyed and a third damaged after severe weather struck off Cape Greco, Cyprus, on Saturday, leaving Limassol businessman and former international rally driver Dimi Mavropoulos dead.

The Cyprus Meteorological Service had issued an orange weather warning and marine bulletin ahead of the storm, with wave heights east of the island forecast to reach about 2.5 metres. A waterspout was also reported off the coast of Larnaca.