A passenger ferry carrying more than 260 people capsized and sank off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday, killing at least eight people and leaving nearly 20 others missing, according to officials from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). The vessel, a high-speed 40-metre Filo Jet ferry operated by Filo Denizcilik, departed the port of Kyrenia — a coastal town on the north of the island — shortly after 12:30 local time, bound for the Turkish port of Taşucu on the mainland. It capsized roughly 6.5 kilometres offshore before it could reach its destination, eventually sinking to a depth of 514 metres.

The TRNC's prime minister, Ünal Üstel, said the boat had originally been scheduled to sail on Saturday but was delayed by poor weather. He told Turkish broadcaster TRT that the vessel was struck by two successive waves: while the captain was attempting to recover from the first, a second wave caused the ferry to take on water. Several rescued passengers gave a more alarming account, telling local media that a blast had gone off at the bow before the ship rolled over, with one witness saying the front section exploded and side windows blew out. Multiple survivors also reported that life jackets were in short supply.