A ferry carrying 270 people capsized off the coast of Cyprus early on Sunday afternoon, shortly after departing from Kyrenia for the Turkish port of Tasucu. The vessel sank approximately 2km north of Kyrenia, prompting an immediate response from Turkish Cypriot coastguard boats.
Rescue operation launched
A rescue helicopter and additional boats from Kyrenia were dispatched to the scene as part of the search and rescue mission. Turkish Cypriot Kyrenia mayor Murat Senkul confirmed that 270 people were on board and described the situation as "serious".
Live coverage underway
This is a live blog, with more updates to follow as the situation develops. The first entry, posted at 12:05 local time, welcomed readers to the ongoing coverage of the capsizing and promised the latest information as it becomes available.
