The leader of the Turkish part of Cyprus, Tufan Erhurman, stated that 241 people were rescued, but 18 people are still considered missing.
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According to the Turkish Ministry of Interior, the ferry “Filo Jet” was carrying 259 passengers and 8 crew members from Girne (also known as Kyrenia) to Taşucu in southern Turkey. Just a few miles from the coast of Cyprus, water began to flood the ship.
The search for missing persons continues without interruption, with teams sent from Turkey participating in the operations, added T. Erhurman.
The Turkish state news agency Anadolu reported that Turkey sent additional search and rescue forces to the disaster site, deploying three aircraft, four drones, six helicopters, four coast guard vessels, a fast attack craft, a frigate, and a patrol boat.
“Priority is given to search and rescue, but at the same time the police are conducting an investigation. Any comments about the causes at this time would be mere speculation,” added the leader of the Turkish part of Cyprus.
He indicated that the capsized ship sank to the seabed and is now at a depth of 514 meters.
The Prime Minister of this part of Cyprus, Ünal Üstel, said that the ferry capsizing is “the greatest maritime disaster Cyprus has ever experienced,” and added that the ship’s captain and seven crew members were detained.
According to Anadolu, the Northern Cyprus Council of Ministers declared a three-day national mourning for those who died and went missing in the disaster.
This ferry was one of several maritime routes connecting Northern Cyprus – the separatist, unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus – with Turkey.
The problem – life jackets
A video from the site of the ship capsizing shows dozens of people standing on the ship’s deck, while others are in the water wearing life jackets.
A survivor described the chaos as water began to flood the ship before it capsized. Efe Multicis told CNN Türk that passengers warned crew members after noticing water entering the ferry, but noted that their concerns were initially not taken seriously.
“I was downstairs, and the water started to seep in. We reported it to the crew. It was really windy,” the witness said. “The ship kept rising and then sharply descending again. When the water started to seep in, we reported it to the crew. They did not take it seriously.”
According to the man, the situation rapidly worsened after the crew informed the captain. He said there were difficulties finding life jackets and reaching emergency exits as the ship heavily tilted to one side.
“Some people couldn’t find life jackets, so they had to jump into the water without them. That was a huge problem – the life jackets,” he complained. “At one point, the ship tilted to the side. To the left. Some people broke windows, some doors did not open.”
The witness himself eventually managed to find a life jacket and reach an inflatable raft.
The Speaker of the Turkish Parliament, Numan Kurtulmuş, expressed his condolences on social media platform X to those who died in “this extremely tragic incident.”
The Republic of Cyprus, close to Greece on the southern side of the island, also expressed condolences and offered assistance after this disaster.
Greek Cypriot government spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis said that authorities are monitoring the situation “with deep sadness and concern,” and reiterated that the government is ready to contribute to search and rescue operations and mobilize all necessary resources.
“At a time like this, saving human lives is the most important,” he wrote on social media platform X.
