At least seven people died and 23 others are missing after a passenger ferry capsized off the coast of Northern Cyprus, according to infohub.kz.
The vessel FILOJET, carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members, had departed from the port of Kyrenia and was heading to the Turkish port of Taşucu in Mersin province. Shortly after leaving the harbor, the ferry began taking on water for unknown reasons about four nautical miles from the coast, and then capsized.
Footage published online shows passengers in life jackets sitting on the hull of the overturned vessel, awaiting rescue. Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman said: "We have found 237 people alive. Seven have died, and 23 are still being searched for."
Kazakhstan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that, according to preliminary data, no citizens of the country were on board the stricken vessel. The ministry's press service stated: "According to preliminary data, there were no citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan on board the ship that sank off the coast of Cyprus. Kazakh diplomats continue to verify the information."
The rescue operation involves nine coast guard vessels, a civilian passenger ship, and two helicopters. Specialists are also using additional equipment to search for people who may remain inside the ferry. Stormy weather had been observed in Cyprus the day before, but according to Erhürman, weather conditions at the time of departure were considered suitable for navigation. The exact cause of the disaster is yet to be determined.