ISTANBUL: Sixteen refugees were drowned and around 30 missing Wednesday after their boat sank in the Mediterranean off the north of Cyprus, Turkish state media reports said.
The boat was carrying 150 people when it went down off the village of Yeni Erenkoy in the breakaway Turkish Cypriot-controlled portion of the island, which is only recognised by Ankara.
Over 100 people were rescued in a joint operation by Turkish Cypriot and Turkish coastguards, reports added.