Eight people have died, and 18 remain missing after a passenger ferry capsized off the coast of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, President Tufan Erhurman said.
Speaking to reporters, Erhurman said the vessel sank after capsizing off the coastal city of Kyrenia, and is now lying at a depth of 514 metres.
He confirmed that 241 people had been rescued from the water.
"Eight people on board lost their lives, and we are searching for another 18 people," Erhurman said.
He added that four of the eight recovered bodies had been identified, whilst efforts were under way to confirm the identities of the remaining four victims.
Joint search and rescue deployment
Search operations for the 18 missing passengers are continuing uninterrupted, with extensive search and rescue assets dispatched from Türkiye.
Erhurman said Türkiye deployed three aircraft, four unmanned aerial vehicles, six helicopters, four Coast Guard boats, a fast attack craft, a frigate, and a patrol vessel to support the operation.
The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus deployed four Coast Guard boats, two helicopters, a fast-attack craft, and a patrol vessel, alongside Civil Defence and police teams, he added.
Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Unal Ustel accompanied Erhurman during the press briefing.
Turkish Cypriot Council of Ministers declared three days of national mourning for those killed and missing in the maritime disaster.
The Turkish Embassy in Lefkosa also cancelled a diplomatic reception scheduled for Sunday to mark Türkiye's 30 August Victory Day.
