Specialized vessel joins search for 14 missing passengers off Turkish Cyprus

KYRENIA

(AA Photo)

A specially equipped research vessel from Türkiye has begun operations off the coast of Kyrenia, Turkish Cyprus, to search for 14 people still missing after a high-speed passenger vessel sank in the area.

The “Optimus Prime” reached the wreck site and started underwater search and inspection operations, according to officials. The vessel is designed for deep-sea research and can maintain a precise position in open waters while operating remote-controlled underwater vehicles, allowing investigators to access areas of the wreck that have previously been difficult to reach.

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and Deputy Prime Minister Fikri Ataoğlu boarded the vessel to inspect the operation. Üstel said search efforts were continuing around the clock and stressed that authorities would use every available resource to locate those still missing.

“Families should know that our state has not given up on the missing,” Üstel said. “We will continue to use all the means at our disposal and pursue our efforts with determination to reach our missing people.”

He described the Optimus Prime as one of the few vessels in the world with its combination of advanced technical capabilities and high operational capacity. He said the vessel would enable authorities to examine previously inaccessible sections of the wreck and conduct a detailed inspection of its interior.

“Every part of the wreck will be examined with great care,” Üstel said, adding that the operation was being conducted in full coordination with Türkiye.

He also praised the roles of the Turkish Navy’s TCG Alemdar and TCG Işın, which have been involved in the search operation. Üstel said maritime, aerial and land-based efforts would continue until the missing people are found.

The Filo Jet, a high-speed passenger vessel operating between Kyrenia and Taşucu in Türkiye’s Mersin province, began taking on water from its bow shortly after departing Kyrenia Port around noon on Aug. 30. The vessel sank as it attempted to return to the port.

There were 267 passengers and crew members aboard. A total of 239 people were rescued, while 14 people died and another 14 remain missing. The wreck lies at a depth of approximately 554 meters off Kyrenia.