Ferry captain and crew arrested after Northern Cyprus capsizing kills eight

August 31, 2026 at 04:59 PM2 min

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The captain and eight crew members of a ferry that capsized off Northern Cyprus were brought before a judge and placed under formal arrest on Monday. Eight people died and 18 remain missing after the vessel sank on Sunday shortly after leaving Girne for the Turkish port of Tasucu. The arrests came as three days of national mourning began in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Key Facts

The captain and eight crew members were placed under formal arrest on Monday, according to the official state news agency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Eight people died and 18 were listed as missing after the ferry capsized on Sunday, local authorities said.
The ferry was carrying 267 passengers and crew when it ran into trouble about midday on Sunday, shortly after leaving the northern port of Girne.
The vessel is lying on the seabed at a depth of more than 500 metres (1,640 ft), and it was not clear if people remained trapped on board.
Three days of national mourning began in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on Monday.

Arrests and Investigation

The captain and eight others were brought before a judge and placed under formal arrest on Monday, according to the official state news agency of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The arrests came as three days of national mourning began in the self-declared state, which only Turkey recognises. Authorities said recovering the vessel's "black box" data recorder would help understand what caused the incident. Divers from Turkey were assisting the search, officials said.

The Capsizing and Rescue

The ferry ran into trouble about midday (09:00 GMT) on Sunday, shortly after leaving the northern port of Girne for the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province. A major rescue operation began for the 267 passengers and crew on board, according to local authorities. They said 241 were rescued, eight died and 18 were listed as missing. Passengers said the boat had begun taking on water before it capsized, and some survivors said they heard an explosion at the front of the boat. Video from the scene broadcast by Turkish television showed the capsized ferry with passengers wearing life jackets sitting on top of its orange hull.

Survivor Accounts

One young man, Efe Multici, told CNN Turk that some people had to jump without lifebuoys or life jackets, describing it as "literally a fight for survival." Serkan Kunduraci, who escaped the sinking ferry by hauling himself through a broken window, said he saw children and others drowning in the sea 7.5km (4 nautical miles) off the Cypriot coast. Rescuer Muhammed Ozcelik, who runs a water sports company, said his boat was one of the first on the scene and began hauling survivors from the sea. He told the Associated Press that people were saying, "Take me too, take me too," but the capacity was full.