Cyprus Ferry Disaster Death Toll Rises to 13, 15 Remain Missing

Rescuers recovered another body on Saturday from a ferry disaster off Cyprus, raising the death toll to 13, while 15 people remain missing.

The FiloJet ferry was carrying 267 people when it capsized shortly after departing from the port of Kyrenia on the northern coast of the divided island around midday on Sunday, August 30, 2026. The vessel was sailing from Kyrenia to Taşucu in Turkey when it began taking on water approximately 6 kilometers off the Cypriot coast.

Authorities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) confirmed the latest recovery brought the number of confirmed deaths to 13. TRNC Prime Minister Unal Ustel stated the number of missing persons is now 15. The wreck of the ferry has been located at a depth of 554 meters (1,818 feet) off Kyrenia. Round-the-clock search and rescue operations have continued since the accident.

Earlier reports on September 4 indicated the death toll had risen to 12, with 16 people still missing. Rescuers had recovered the bodies of two women off the coast of northern Cyprus at that time. Cyprus has been split since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied the northern third of the island in response to an Athens-engineered Greek Cypriot coup seeking unification with Greece.

The island today comprises the TRNC, which declared independence in 1983 but is only recognized by Ankara, and the EU member Republic of Cyprus in the south. The TRNC is served by regular air and sea links to Turkey.