At Least Six People Dead In Northern Cyprus Ferry Capsizing

By Baris Balci

Aug 30, 2026 (Bloomberg) — At least six people died after a high-speed ferry carrying about 267 capsized while sailing from Kyrenia in northern Cyprus to Tasucu in southern Turkey, the Anadolu news agency reported, citing Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Unal Ustel.  

Of the roughly 259 passengers and eight crew members about the Filojet ferry, 172 had been successfully rescued and brought ashore at mid-afternoon, Anadolu said. 

Turkish Cypriot coastguard boats were deployed to the scene, with a rescue helicopter being sent as backup. 

Ustel and Erhan Arikli, minister for transport in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, have traveled to Kyrenia to oversee the recovery operations, the newspaper said. 

“We don’t know what caused the vessel to take on water,” Arikli told the Turkish broadcaster NTV. The ferry began taking on water about 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) off the coast of Kyrenia, he said.  

© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

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