Terrifying footage shows passengers desperately scrambling to escape from deep inside a sinking ferry off northern Cyprus after it was battered by waves.
At least eight people were killed and 18 remained missing on Monday after the vessel capsized, triggering a major search and rescue operation.
Survivors have claimed the captain ignored warnings that the ferry was taking on water before abandoning ship as it capsized.
The captain, seven crew members and a shareholder in the company operating the ferry were arrested and appeared in court on Monday.
Filmed from inside the stricken vessel, the chaotic video captures people desperately making their way through its interior as frightened screams and cries ring out around them.
At one point, a man is seen perched on the side of the sharply tilted ferry with a phone pressed to his ear, appearing to call for help as others scramble around him.
Other harrowing footage captures the aftermath outside, where survivors are seen bobbing in the choppy sea alongside the partially submerged ferry.
Some cling to one another in the water while others are seen trying to pull people from inside the ship. In further footage a rescue helicopter is seen hovering overhead.
The boat was struck by one wave before a second hit as the captain tried to regain control, causing the ferry to begin taking on water, according to northern Cyprus prime minister Ünal Üstel.
Terrifying footage shows passengers desperately scrambling to escape from deep inside a sinking ferry off northern Cyprus after it was battered by waves
Some cling to one another in the water while others are seen trying to pull others from inside the ship
Other harrowing footage captures the aftermath outside, where survivors are seen bobbing in the choppy sea alongside the partially submerged ferry
Pictured: Passengers try to pull people out who are still trapped inside the ship
The double-hulled ferry, which had 267 people aboard, took in water and flipped over on Sunday just off the port city of Kyrenia, leaving survivors clinging to the overturned hull
Nearly 20 people were missing on Monday after the ferry capsized off northern Cyprus, as divers joined search teams scouring deep waters for any survivors.
The double-hulled ferry, which had 267 people aboard, took in water and flipped over on Sunday just off the port city of Kyrenia, leaving survivors clinging to the overturned hull.
They were rescued by passing vessels and coastguard authorities, with officials saying the vast majority of those on board had been rescued.
But the ferry continued towards the Turkish port of Tasucu.
Fearing for their safety as the boat continued out to sea amid poor weather, terrified passengers scrambled to find lifejackets, only to realise they were in short supply.
They then heard a blast from the ship’s bow and the vessel began to capsize, leading to an exodus of passengers who frantically jumped into the sea to escape, many without buoyancy aids.
Among the first to abandon ship, according to survivors, was the captain himself, who was arrested alongside seven of his crew members later on Sunday.
The privately owned ferry had originally been scheduled to travel to Turkey on Saturday, but its journey was delayed because of poor weather conditions, Üstel said.
Separate accounts said the wide-bodied vessel jolted violently before slamming onto the surface of the sea, with part of its bow bursting open on impact.
Naif Ezer, one of those waiting anxiously outside the port for news of passengers through the early hours of Monday, said: ‘We’ve been waiting since the morning, for 12 hours or maybe more.’
Of three friends travelling home to see their families, one had been found but the other two were still missing, he added.
Some of those waiting sat and silently wept, while others scrolled through their mobile phones for updates.
It was unclear whether people remained trapped inside the vessel, which has now sunk and is lying on the seabed at a depth of more than 500 metres (1,640ft).
Divers from Turkey were assisting the search, officials said.
A rescue mission continued into the night after a ferry carrying around 270 passengers capsized shortly after departing from the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday
Former President of Northern Cyprus Ersin Tatar meets with families waiting at the port entrance
Officials gave differing estimates of the number of people still missing, with some saying 19 and others 18.
The ship’s captain and seven crew members were detained as part of an investigation into ‘how this tragedy occurred’, Üstel said.
Authorities are also attempting to recover the ferry’s black box recorder to establish what happened.
Shortly after the doomed vessel departed from Kyrenia just before 12pm on Sunday, passengers realised that there was a problem.
They had discovered that the boat had begun to take on water and warned the captain and crew that they needed to return to port.
Unmoved by their concerns, the ferry continued on towards the Turkish port of Tasucu.
Fearing for their safety as the boat continued out to sea amid a storm, the terrified passengers scrambled to find lifejackets, only to realise they were in short supply.
They heard a blast come from the ship’s bow and the vessel began to capsize, leading to an exodus of passengers who frantically jumped into the sea to escape, many without any buoyancy aids.
Among the first to abandon ship, according to survivors, was the captain himself, who was arrested alongside seven of his crew members later on Sunday.
One rescued passenger said he spent an hour-and-a-half in the water before being rescued.
The man, aged in his 50s and not named, told local Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) television that the front of the boat ‘exploded’ and the side windows ‘blew out’ as the boat took on more and more water.
‘Those who could, got out,’ he said, adding that he saw the captain among the first to abandon ship ‘without organising anything’.
Several rescued passengers told local media that a blast had gone off at the bow before it rolled over.
Another witness, in his 30s, corroborated reports of an explosion. He said he had reported water leaks to the captain.
‘The seats started to float, the captain kept going, and the bow exploded,’ he said.
As the boat went down, elderly people were reportedly left trapped inside the vessel and were unable to escape in time.
Video footage showed chaotic scenes on board, as life jackets were in short supply, leading to some jumping into the water without any buoyancy aids.
Other clips showed some of the survivors sat atop the ship’s overturned hull, as others desperately awaited rescue in the surrounding waters.
By late afternoon, the ship had completely sunk, settling on the seabed at a depth of 514 metres (1,686ft), according to authorities.
They said divers from Turkey would be assisting the search.
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