At least eight people have died and 18 remain missing after the passenger ferry Filo Jet capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus.
The privately operated vessel was carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members from Kyrenia, also known as Girne, to Taşucu in Turkey when it began taking on water shortly after departure on Sunday 30 August 2026.
Authorities said 241 people had been rescued as a major search-and-rescue operation continued into Sunday evening.
Ferry capsized shortly after leaving Kyrenia
Filo Jet left Kyrenia at approximately 12.30pm local time and encountered difficulty only a short distance from the northern Cypriot coast. The vessel capsized approximately 7.5 kilometres offshore.
Images from the scene showed survivors wearing lifejackets while waiting on the upturned hull to be rescued. The ferry subsequently sank and is reported to be resting on the seabed at a depth of approximately 514 metres.
Four Turkish Cypriot coastguard vessels and a civilian passenger vessel were deployed alongside five Turkish coastguard vessels and two helicopters. Turkish naval vessels and additional rescue resources were also sent to the area.
Eight dead and 18 missing
By Sunday evening, officials said at least eight people had died, 241 had been rescued and 18 remained unaccounted for.
Some rescued passengers required hospital treatment. The identities and nationalities of those who died or remain missing had not been officially disclosed when this article was prepared.
The casualty figures may change as the search operation and reconciliation of the passenger manifest continue.
Cause has not been established
Survivors described the twin-hulled ferry moving violently and striking the surface of the sea before part of its bow was damaged and water entered the vessel. These are eyewitness accounts and have not yet been established as the official cause of the sinking.
Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman urged against premature speculation. Although Cyprus experienced severe storms on Saturday, he said conditions on Sunday had been considered suitable for travel.
The captain and seven other crew members have been detained for questioning as part of the investigation. Their detention does not establish criminal responsibility, and authorities have not announced any charges.
Operator Filo Denizcilik said it was deeply saddened by the accident and had established a crisis-management team while working with the rescue authorities.
Search operation continues
Authorities said the search would continue in an effort to locate everybody who remained missing. The depth at which the ferry sank is expected to complicate any examination or recovery of the vessel.
The Republic of Cyprus offered assistance, while Turkey continued to support the operation with coastguard, naval and aviation resources.
Filo Jet operated one of the regular passenger links between northern Cyprus and mainland Turkey. It was a ferry service rather than a cruise ship, but the scale of the loss makes the sinking a significant passenger-shipping and maritime-safety incident in the eastern Mediterranean.
Updated 30 August 2026: This is a developing incident. Deck7 will revise the casualty figures and investigation details when further information is officially confirmed.