A passenger ferry with 279 people on board capsized off the northern coast of Cyprus.

The Express passenger ferry, which had 279 passengers and eight crew members on board, capsized off the northern coast of Cyprus.

This was reported by Cyprus Mail and Philenews.

The incident occurred near the city of Kyrenia, which is under the control of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

According to the unrecognized entity’s “Minister of Transport,” Erhan Arikili, the vessel began taking on water approximately 6.5 kilometers off the coast of Kyrenia.

Due to the ferry accident, all events marking the anniversary of the 1922 Battle of Dumlupınar, which Türkiye celebrates as Victory Day, have been cancelled.

Coast guard boats and a rescue helicopter were dispatched to the scene. Other vessels departing from Kyrenia also joined the rescue operation.

The cause of the accident has not been officially determined. However, possible causes include the material from which the vessel was constructed, which, according to preliminary estimates, may have been unsuitable for use in shipping.

The ferry was also reportedly old. According to one theory, the vessel’s fiberglass structure suffered severe damage, which could have quickly caused it to break in half.

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