Ferry with 267 aboard capsizes off North Cyprus; 1 dead
What's new: The vessel began taking on water shortly after leaving Kyrenia for Tasucu, and survivors were brought back to shore for treatment.
A privately owned ferry carrying 267 people capsized off North Cyprus on Sunday, leaving one person dead as rescue crews pulled passengers from the overturned vessel in the eastern Mediterranean. Turkish Cypriot Transport Minister Erhan Arikli said 259 passengers and eight crew were on board. The ferry left Kyrenia at 12:30 p.m. local time bound for Tasucu in Turkey's Mersin province, but started taking on water almost immediately for reasons that were not clear. Media reports said the vessel was about four miles, or a few kilometers, off shore when it overturned. Survivors in life jackets were taken back to Kyrenia port and transferred to hospitals as coast guard and private boats joined the rescue effort.