Four missing after Turkey ferry sinks

Four passengers remained unaccounted for on Monday after a ferry carrying 95 people sank off Turkey's northwest coast, a senior maritime agency official said.

Some 27 crew and 68 passengers were on the ferry when it sank late Sunday just after leaving Bandirma, on the southern shore of the Marmara Sea, for Istanbul, the deputy head of the agency, Mehmet Solgun, told a news conference.

Ninety people – including all the crew – were rescued, one passenger lost his life and four are still missing, Solgun said.

Earlier, the maritime agency had said five passengers were missing, but Solgun said his agency had contacted one on his mobile phone.

Rescue teams were scouring the sea for the missing, the Anatolia news agency said.

It was not immediately clear why the ferry sank, but survivors said the vessel began listing to the left as it pulled out of the port and sank in 15 minutes.