Tourist boat capsizes off Turkish coast; 1 dead, 2 missing

ISTANBUL – A tourist boat capsized off Turkey’s coast in less than a minute Wednesday, killing at least one person and leaving two people missing, according to Turkish news agencies.

The official Anadolu news agency reported that 11 people were on the 20-meter (65-foot) boat that sunk off Marmaris on the Aegean Sea. Officials rescued eight people, including the captain, from the overturned boat. A baby was resuscitated after being taken out of the water, the private Dogan news agency reported.

Officials retrieved the Turkish boat owner’s body, according to Anadolu, citing Esengul Civelek, the governor of Mugla province. Searches were ongoing for a 15-year-old boy and a 40-year-old woman. The passengers were all Turkish citizens.

The cause of the capsizing was under investigation. Witnesses told Dogan the boat sank in less than a minute.

Marmaris, in southwestern Turkey, is a popular tourist destination for both international and domestic travellers.