New Delhi, Aug. 31 -- At least eight people have died and 18 remain missing after a passenger ferry carrying around 267 people capsized and sank off the coast of North Cyprus on Sunday (August 30), triggering a major search-and-rescue operation.

The privately operated FILOJET ferry was travelling from Kyrenia to the Turkish port of Tasucu in the eastern Mediterranean when it began taking on water shortly after leaving port.

Authorities said 241 people were rescued, although figures on the number of missing varied in initial reports.

Ferry capsized shortly after leaving port

The ferry departed Kyrenia at around 12:30 p.m. local time (0930 GMT) and was about 6.5 kilometres (four miles) offshore when the disaster occurred.

According to ...