A ferry carrying 267 people capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday, killing eight people and leaving around 20 missing, including two children who were separated from their parents amid rough seas. Ayten and Hayri Bicer described losing hold of their daughter, 12, and son, 6, as engine oil coated the boat's surfaces and made it impossible to keep their grip, in an incident that has plunged the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) into three days of national mourning. The tragedy has raised questions over whether the vessel should have sailed given the severe weather that had already delayed its departure.

The Filo Jet vessel, a 40m high-speed ferry, left the resort of Kyrenia bound for Tasucu in Turkey when it was reportedly struck by two large waves in succession, capsizing before the crew could recover control. Nineteen survivors are being treated in hospital, and the eight-strong crew, including the captain, plus one other man have been arrested, with warrants issued for further suspects. The vessel now lies at a depth of 514m, and authorities are working to recover its black box while debris, including luggage, continues to be found at sea; a Turkish ship was due to join the search effort on Tuesday.