Kyrenia Ferry Disaster
Passenger Ferry Capsizes Off Kyrenia With Hundreds Aboard as Rescue Efforts Continue
Anonymous
Key Points
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The ferry involved is named Express and is owned by Filo Jet, operated by Filo Denizcilik.
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Rescue and emergency response included three Coast Guard vessels and three private boats mobilised to the scene, with ambulances and police rushing to assist and hospitals placed on standby.
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There are divergent early assessments of the vessel’s construction: some reports described it as a catamaran, with claims that the fibreglass hull was damaged and that the vessel was old or potentially built with unsuitable materials, which may have contributed to it breaking apart.
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The location reported for the capsizing varied: some outlets placed it about two kilometres north of Kyrenia, while others cited roughly three nautical miles off Kyrenia, with the vessel reportedly heading toward Tasucu at the time of the incident.
A passenger ferry capsized off northern Cyprus on Sunday afternoon, killing at least 7 people and leaving 23 to 24 missing. The Filo Jet, carrying 267 passengers and crew, sank roughly 2 kilometers north of Kyrenia about 15 minutes after departing for Turkey, according to Prime Minister Ãœnal Ãœstel. Rescue teams pulled 237 survivors from the water as storms battered the aging catamaran.
The vessel encountered rough seas and began taking on water through its bow shortly after leaving port. Coast Guard helicopters and boats raced to the scene, plucking survivors in life jackets from the water. Hospitals across northern Cyprus went on high alert as ambulances ferried the injured ashore, while Greek Cypriot authorities offered cross-border rescue support.
Harbor Delays, Then Fatal Departure
On Sunday morning, the Express catamaran was initially denied clearance to leave Kyrenia port due to severe weather. Harbor authorities delayed the departure by about one hour. At 12:10 PM, after weather improved slightly, the ferry set out for TaÅŸucu on mainland Turkey with 267 people aboard.
Just 15 minutes into the voyage, the catamaran ran into a storm. Water began flooding in through the bow. The crew issued a Mayday distress call. Within minutes, the 15-year-old fiberglass hull cracked under pressure, and the ferry listed sharply before capsizing.
Massive Rescue Operation Pulls 237 to Safety
Coast Guard vessels and helicopters launched an emergency response within minutes of the Mayday call. A total of 237 survivors were pulled from the water, many floating in life jackets as rescue boats circled the capsized wreck. Prime Minister Ãœstel said the fast response prevented far greater loss of life.
Ambulances and police raced to Kyrenia Port as helicopters airlifted the most injured survivors. Greek Cypriot authorities, despite the political divide between north and south Cyprus, immediately offered their own rescue helicopters through the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. Hospitals across the region prepared trauma units for the arriving victims.
Aging Vessel Blamed for Hull Failure
The Express was an aging catamaran with a fiberglass hull. Local media and maritime analysts questioned why port authorities cleared the ferry to sail shortly after denying it clearance just one hour earlier. Transport Minister Erhan Arıklı said the vessel began taking on water about 4 nautical miles off Kyrenia as it encountered the storm.
The fiberglass hull, weakened by years of use, cracked under the pressure of heavy seas and water rushing through the bow. Investigators are examining whether routine maintenance checks failed and whether older vessels like this should still operate on rough-water routes. The disaster raises serious questions about maritime safety standards in the Cyprus–Turkey ferry corridor.
Still Missing: Recovery Efforts Continue
As of Sunday evening, 7 bodies had been recovered and 23 to 24 people remained missing. Divers and rescue boats continued searching the wreck site through the night. The search was hampered by rough seas and poor visibility, but crews remained focused on locating any survivors trapped in air pockets or clinging to debris.
Officials traveled to Kyrenia to oversee the response and coordinate with hospitals on victim identification and medical care. The tragedy has prompted calls for an urgent formal inquiry into why the ferry was cleared to sail after initial delays and whether Filo Denizcilik's fleet meets modern safety standards.
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