Sawt Falasteen - At least seven die in ferry capsize off Northern Cyprus; 23 missing

The cause was not yet established. But one rescued passenger told local media a blast went off at the bow of the ferry before it rolled over.

The vessel capsized 6.5 kilometres (four miles) off the coast of Cyprus, shortly after it had left a Northern Cyprus port heading to Turkey's mainland.

Images broadcast by Turkish television showed the upside-down ferry in the water, with people wearing life vests atop its orange hull.

The ferry had been carrying a total of 267 people, at least seven of whom died, Unal Ustel, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), told Turkish media.

He added that 23 people were missing, and 172 had been rescued.

Shortly afterwards, the TRNC's transport minister said the ferry "has "completely sunk to a depth of 514 metres (1,686 feet)".

The minister, Erhan Arikli, told Turkish television network TRT that 161 people had been taken to hospital and 76 were back with their families.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during a public ceremony that "efforts to find the missing are continuing tirelessly. We hope to receive positive news from these efforts".

The TRNC, which is recognised only by Turkey, controls the northern third of the island of Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974.

Ankara occupied that part of the island that year in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup seeking union with Greece. The TRNC today is served with regular air and sea links to Turkey.

The rescued passenger who spoke of a blast on board told local TRNC television after he was taken back ashore: "The front part exploded, they tried to turn around. And the side windows blew out. The boat starting taking on water."

- Many inside -

The man, aged in his 50s and not named, said he spent an hour and a half in the water before being rescued. He said many people had been inside the ferry at the moment started taking on water.

"Those who could, got out," he said, adding that he saw the captain among the first to abandon ship "without organising anything".

Many boats, including private ones, were involved in the rescue operation. Turkey's interior ministry said on X that six Turkish navy ships were also despatched.

"All necessary preparations are being made for a swift response from rescue and health services," the TRNC's health ministry said in a statement.

It added that hospitals in the territory had been alerted, to provide any needed medical attention.

The ferry had departed from the Northern Cyprus port of Kyrenia -- called Girne Kepuveia in Turkish -- on a run meant to take it to the Turkish port of Tasucu.

The TRNC is dependent on Turkey, and Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz said on X that "we are providing all necessary assistance to the search and rescue operations".

Erdogan is scheduled to visit the TRNC on Monday to see its president, Tufan Erhurmann, who was elected by the territory's voters in October.

The visit would be Erdogan's first since 2023.

B.Mahmoud--SF-PST