Kyrenia shipwreck leaves 8 dead and 18 missing

A maritime tragedy has occurred off the coast of Kyrenia, where a catamaran carrying approximately 267 passengers capsized and sank to a depth of over 500 meters. The incident has resulted in at least eight confirmed deaths, with 18 people, including children and elderly individuals, still reported missing.

Survivors have raised serious allegations regarding the crew's conduct and the vessel's safety standards. Testimonies suggest that the crew abandoned the ship first and allegedly dismissed passengers' concerns about water ingress. Reports also indicate a lack of adequate life jackets and insufficient emergency information provided to those on board.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, though officials noted the difficulty of the mission due to the ship's depth. Authorities have arrested the captain and seven other individuals as part of an investigation into the causes of the sinking. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erkurmani stated that survivors have been transported to hospitals and that, while the situation is grave, no survivors are currently reported to be in critical condition.