First images from the ship that capsized in Kyrenia! This is how passengers were rescued

Off the coast of Kyrenia in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a catamaran-type passenger ship carrying 267 people, including 8 crew members, took on water and capsized.

HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS WAIT TO BE RESCUED ON TOP OF THE OVERTURNED SHIP!

Passengers on the Express Passenger Ship belonging to Filo Jet, which was carrying more than 250 people and capsized 2-3 km off the coast shortly after departing from Kyrenia Harbor, are waiting to be rescued on top of the overturned vessel!... pic.twitter.com/IwYiaQs3pY

— Özgür Gazete Kıbrıs (@CyprusNewspaper) August 30, 2026

Following the incident, a search and rescue operation was launched with the participation of Coast Guard teams and civilian boats in the area. Emergency preparations were also made at nearby hospitals.

ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO PORT

It was stated that the ship, belonging to Filo Denizcilik, began taking on water from its bow while sailing approximately 2-2.5 kilometers off the coast of Kyrenia. It was reported that the captain, noticing the situation, maneuvered to return to port, but the ship lost its balance and capsized.

#SOS #CYPRUS SHIPWRECK DISASTER OFF KYRENIA #Kyrenia Departed from the harbor and 2-3 km offshore #capsized carrying 279 people #TRNC Filo Jet's Express #PassengerShip's passengers are waiting to be rescued, some in the sea and some on the overturned ship #BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/RS0jFiNWJI

— Şeffaf Gazete (@SEFFAFGAZETE) August 30, 2026

RESCUE OPERATIONS CONTINUE

Following the report, Coast Guard teams were dispatched to the area, and numerous civilian boats also supported the rescue efforts.

Rescue efforts for the passengers on the ship that sank off the coast of Kyrenia are ongoing.

Numerous coast guard teams and surrounding boats are continuing their efforts to evacuate the passengers. (Kıbrıs Haber) pic.twitter.com/yUKrUQ47uw

— OZAN ÖZTÜRK (@ozanozturk_tr) August 30, 2026

Upon reports that there were injured people on the ship, preparations were made at hospitals in Kyrenia and the surrounding area, and ambulances were sent to the scene.

LIFE-AND-DEATH STRUGGLE AT SEA: HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS WAITING TO BE RESCUED ARE ON THE OVERTURNED SHIP!

Passengers on the Express Passenger Ship belonging to Filo Jet, which was carrying 279 people and capsized 2-3 km off the coast shortly after departing from Kyrenia Harbor, are on the overturned ship... pic.twitter.com/Z19sNxhW90

— Özgür Gazete Kıbrıs (@CyprusNewspaper) August 30, 2026

TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı also moved to the operations center to monitor the rescue efforts.

Kyrenia Mayor Murat Şenkul, in a statement to CNN Türk, said that 159 passengers had been rescued so far and that search and rescue operations for the other passengers were continuing.

?? #BREAKINGNEWS | New images continue to arrive from the passenger ship that sank off the coast of Kyrenia pic.twitter.com/qEffJIydV1

— Sokak Kedisi (@sokakkedisitv) August 30, 2026

Footage showing a group of rescued passengers being brought to the shore has emerged.

MOMENT A GROUP OF RESCUED PASSENGERS IS BROUGHT TO SHORE

Some of the passengers from the Express Passenger Ship belonging to Filo Jet, which was carrying more than 250 people and capsized 2-3 km off the coast shortly after departing from Kyrenia Harbor, are being brought to the shore by a commercial vessel.

Video:… pic.twitter.com/349rUqAGFA

— Özgür Gazete Kıbrıs (@CyprusNewspaper) August 30, 2026

A passenger rescued from the ship described what happened.

"The ship started making thumping sounds. We called the staff. We said the ship is taking on water. They told us, 'You are not used to this, nothing will happen.'" 

Then, when it took on a lot of water, the seats broke, and the captain came and said, 'Nothing will happen,' and continued on his way.

Then the front of the ship exploded; that's when they said we are leaving immediately and they fled right away, people were left inside.

No information was given to anyone; they said we are fleeing after the ship exploded. Those who found life jackets jumped into the sea with them, those who couldn't just jumped as they were."

— Citizen rescued from the passenger ship that sank off the coast of Kyrenia:

The ship started making thumping sounds. We called the staff. We said the ship is taking on water. They told us, 'You are not used to this, nothing will happen.'

Then, when it took on a lot of water, the seats broke, and the captain came and said, 'Nothing will happen,'... pic.twitter.com/AiAMBw2IkR

— postmodern (@posttmodern) August 30, 2026

"UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE LOSSES, WE DO NOT KNOW THE NUMBER"

TRNC Minister of Public Works and Transportation Erhan Arıklı, in a statement during a live broadcast on A Haber, reported that there were people who lost their lives and said, "Unfortunately, we have losses, we do not know the number" .

6 LIVES LOST

TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel reported that 172 people have been rescued and 6 people have lost their lives.

News Source: 12punto