New Delhi: A passenger ferry carrying 270 people capsized on Sunday afternoon, shortly after leaving the coast of North Cyprus. Citing Turkish Cypriot media, Reuters said that it is not yet known whether there have been any casualties or not. But rescue operation is going on. According to the Associated Press, this catamaran-style ferry was going from the port of Kyrenia, located in the breakaway northern part of ethnically divided Cyprus, to the Turkish port of Tasuku in Mersin province.
According to the local Kibris newspaper, the ferry started filling with water about four miles from the shore. The newspaper reported that ambulances were sent to the incident site. Here AFP reported that the Health Ministry of Turkey of Northern Cyprus (which administers the northern one-third of the divided Cyprus island) said that all necessary preparations are being made for quick response by rescue and health services.
According to the AP, North Cyprus's Transportation Minister Erhan Arikli told Türkiye's state TRT news channel that the ship had capsized. Rescue teams were already present at the spot. According to Bloomberg, more than 100 people have been rescued so far. Kyrenia has been brought. The rescue operation is going on. He said, we do not know the reason why the ship is filled with water. However, several companies run ferries on the busy route between Kyrenia and Tasukou. But it is not yet known which company the overturned ferry belonged to.
Apart from this, people wearing life vests are seen swimming in the water around the overturned ship as seen on social media. In one such incident, Tunisia's National Guard said that a boat carrying migrants capsized off the coast of South Tunisia. At least two people died in this. 12 people went missing. One person has been rescued. Guard spokesman Houssem Eddin Jebabli told the state news agency that authorities recovered two bodies. He has been sent to the hospital on the nearby island of Djerba. He told national radio Mosaik FM when the boat left between the towns of Jarjis and Ben Guedrane. There were about 15 people on board.