Six killed as ferry carrying nearly 270 people capsizes off northern Cyprus

At least six people were killed after a ferry carrying nearly 270 passengers and crew capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday (August 30), according to an AP report citing Turkish media. The catamaran-style ferry was travelling from the port of Kyrenia (Girne) in northern Cyprus to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province when it capsized.

Over 172 people rescued

More than 172 people have been rescued, Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel told Turkish state broadcaster TRT.

Kyrenia Mayor Murat Senkul said the vessel was operated by Filo Denizcilik and sank off Diana Beach along Cyprus’ northern coast.

The ferry began taking in water around 7.5 kilometres (4 nautical miles) from the coast.

Footage from the scene showed several people wearing life jackets floating in the water around the overturned vessel as rescue operations continued.

15 dead as speedboat capsizes in Vietnam

Earlier in July, 15 people were killed after a speedboat carrying 32 Indian tourists capsized off Hon May Rut Ngoai near Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam, after which a massive rescue operation was launched by local authorities, Vietnamese media reports said. Local media reports suggest the boat was carrying as many as 32 Indian tourists, along with four crew members. The incident left as many as 15 people dead: 10 from Tamil Nadu, three from Andhra Pradesh and two from Kerala.

The incident happened around 1 pm local time when the boat was transporting the tourists to An Thoi Port from Hon May Rut. It capsized around 400 metres off Hon May Rut Ngoai, they said, adding that nearby tourists were the first responders.  

Multiple videos have also surfaced on social media that showed the authorities and the locals rescuing the people and providing them with medical assistance.

The boat was operated by the Ocean Pear Island Company, authorities said, adding that most of the tourists were trapped inside the boat after it overturned. They further said the sea was rough, which only made the rescue operation difficult.

Vietnam is one of the most popular destinations for Indian tourists because of its affordable luxury and visa-friendly policies. Around 7.46 lakh Indian tourists had visited Vietnam alone in 2025, which shows the popularity of the Southeast Asian country among Indians.

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(With AP inputs)