Relatives and people close to the passengers on a ferry that capsized off the coast northern Cyprus on Sunday (August 30) waited outside the hospital and the port gates to hear news of those onboard.

Turkish Cypriot Tufan Erhurman said teams were still searching for 18 people on the ferry, after reaching 249 people, including eight who had died.

The privately owned ferry left the port of Kyrenia at 12:30 p.m. local time (0930 GMT) and immediately started taking on water for an unknown reason, authorities said. It was heading for the Turkish port of Tasucu in the eastern Mediterranean.

The disaster occurred just off the coast of Kyrenia, a popular holiday resort for both locals and tourists. The ferry was one of several shuttle sea services that link North Cyprus, a breakaway unrecognised Turkish Cypriot state, with Turkey daily.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

1. VARIOUS OF BOATS AT SEA FOR SEARCH-AND-RESCUE OPERATION FOR FERRY THAT CAPSIZED OFF COAST OF NORTHERN CYPRUS

2. VARIOUS OF "KYRENIA TOURISM PORT" SIGN

3. PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE PORT

4. POLICE AT PORT GATE

5. VARIOUS OF AMBULANCE LEAVING PORT

6. ENTRANCE TO HOSPITAL

7. PEOPLE WAITING NEAR HOSPITAL

8. AMBULANCE ARRIVING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

9. AMBULANCE OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

10. PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

KYRENIA, CYPRUS (AUGUST 30, 2026) (REUTERS - Access All) (NIGHT SHOTS)

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH CYPRIOT LEADER, TUFAN ERHURMAN, SAYING:

"As of now, we have reached 249 of our people. As you know, we have unfortunately lost eight of our people among these 249. Their (identity) determination efforts have been done. Four people('s identities) have been determined; (identity) determination efforts for four people is ongoing. The number of people we haven't reached so far... We haven't been able to reach 18 of our people so far."

12. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

13. AMBULANCE ARRIVING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL

14. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING OUTSIDE HOSPITAL