KKTC Minister of Public Works and Transport Erhan Arıklı announced that a catamaran-type passenger vessel traveling from Girne to the Taşucu district of Mersin took on water approximately 4 miles offshore and capsized. A rescue operation is being carried out by the Coast Guard, Civil Defense, helicopters and civilian vessels in the area to evacuate the approximately 260 passengers on board. Arıklı said that the teams reached the area 15-20 minutes after receiving the alert and reported that the passengers had been transferred to safer vessels. Ambulances are standing by at Girne Port, while a medical intervention tent is being set up; those in serious condition will be referred to hospitals. Other passenger vessels at the port have also been directed to the area to support the operation. While the cause of the accident has not yet been established, Arıklı said that sea conditions were severe and that the priority was to bring the passengers ashore without any loss of life.
Why it matters
The focus of the incident is shifting from the evacuation at sea to assessing the passengers’ health and bringing them safely ashore. The joint use of the Coast Guard, Civil Defense, helicopters and civilian vessels shows that the response does not rely solely on the capacity of a single institution. The preparations for ambulances and medical intervention at Girne Port indicate that the rescue operation is being carried out alongside the management of possible injuries. The condition of all the passengers and the circumstances that caused the vessel to take on water and capsize have not yet been clarified; these two issues remain open questions in determining the outcome of the operation and assessing responsibility.