Kyrenia ferry LIVE: Major rescue as passenger boat capsizes off Cyprus with 270 on board

Kyrenia ferry LIVE: Major rescue as passenger boat capsizes off Cyprus with 270 on board Coastguard boats have been deployed as well as rescue helicopters in an effort to save 270 people from a capsized passenger ferry off the coast of Cyprus A massive rescue effort has been scrambled after a passenger ferry capsized today shortly after departing from northern Cyprus. Boats and helicopters have been scrambled in a frantic effort to pull survivors from the upturned boat. The boat capsized early on Sunday afternoon around two kilometres north of the coast of Kyrenia, as it made its way towards the Turkish port of Tasucu. Turkish Cypriot coastguard boats have been deployed as well as rescue helicopters as video shows people being rescued from the vessel. Key Events The catamaran-style ferry was travelling from the port of Kyrenia, also known as Girne, to the Turkish port of Tasucu in Mersin province. There are no reports of casualties so far. The ferry started taking in water a few kilometres off the coast, the Turkish state-run TRT news channel reported. Northern Cyprus transportation minister Erhan Arikli told TRT that the ship had overturned and rescue crews were already on the scene. Another video, shot from the deck of a nearby vessel, shows people in lifejackets being taken away from the scene on another boat while a helicopter hovers over the capsized ferry. Videos posted to the Facebook page of the local Özgür Gazete news outlet appear to show people in orange life jackets sitting on the upturned hull of a boat. Turkish Cypriot Kyrenia mayor Murat Senkul confirmed that there were a total of 270 people on board the boat, including passengers and crew, and said that the situation was “serious”.