Captain detained after ferry sinks off North Cyprus, killing at least eight

At least eight people drowned and 17 were missing after ⁠a ferry carrying almost 270 passengers and crew capsized off northern Cyprus on Sunday, leaving survivors clinging to its overturned hull.As a major rescue operation got underway, Turkish Cypriot authorities said the captain and seven crew had been detained for questioning.The FILOJET vessel began taking on water about ​four nautical miles off Kyrenia while sailing from Kyrenia to Tasucu ‌in mainland Turkey.Video footage showed people in red life jackets sitting or standing on top of the overturned vessel as authorities scrambled coastguard and private vessels for assistance to bring them to shore.“The vessel had been moving very badly. It was constantly lifting out of the water and slamming back down. It was shaking violently,” survivor Efe Multici told channel CNN Turk. Three or four minutes later, the ferry leapt high into the air, then came crashing down. The front left side burst open and water started pouring in.By late afternoon, the ship had sank, settling on the seabed at a depth of 514 metres. The ferry was one of several daily shuttle services that link north Cyprus, a breakaway unrecognised Turkish Cypriot state, with mainland Turkey.Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan ⁠Erhurman told CNN Turk he was "deeply saddened" by the incident. "If there are people `still inside the vessel, reaching them does not appear easy at the moment," Erhurman said. "Efforts are being made using other technologies to reach them as well."Survivors and families gather at a hospital after the ferry sank (Reuters)Cyprus was battered by fierce storms on Saturday, with one person dying after his sailboat crashed onto rocks in rough seas in the island's south-east.Asked about the cause of the capsize, Erhurman noted the storm on Saturday, but said the weather on Sunday was considered suitable for travel. "There is a great sense of shock here. This is not something we have experienced before," he said, speaking from the crisis centre set up in the area.In Turkey, President Tayyip Erdogan extended his condolences to the ​families affected. Expressions of condolence and offers of assistance also came from Cyprus's internationally recognised government. Cyprus has been ‌split down Greek and Turkish Cypriot lines since 1974, when ⁠Turkey invaded in response to a brief Greek inspired coup.“Efforts to reach those who are still missing continue uninterrupted,” Erdogan said. “God willing, we hope to receive positive news from these efforts.”Four Turkish Cypriot coast guard vessels and a civilian passenger boat were deployed to the scene, along with five Turkish coastguard vessels and two helicopters, the ministry statement said.