Crisis desk convenes over capsized passenger ship off Northern Cyprus

A crisis desk convened on Sunday under Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Prime Minister Unal Ustel following the capsizing of a passenger ship off the coastal city of Kyrenia.

In a statement, the TRNC premier's office said the crisis desk was formed following the incident, and met under Ustel's chairmanship.

President Tufan Erhurman also went to the scene and was briefed by the crisis desk.

The meeting was attended by the ministers of transport, health, interior, finance and agriculture, as well as the commanders of the Turkish Cypriot Peace Forces and Security Forces, the police chief and the head of the Civil Defense Organization.

Officials agreed that search and rescue operations would continue uninterrupted with all available resources mobilized, while the treatment of the injured would be closely monitored and all state institutions would continue to act in full coordination.

"Our sole priority right now is human life," Ustel said.

"All of our state institutions, security forces, health teams and search and rescue units are on the ground in full coordination. All necessary resources have been mobilized. We are following the process moment by moment together with our Crisis Desk," he added.