AA photo.
Two more bodies have been recovered from the wreckage of a ferry that sank off the coast of Turkish Cyprus’ Kyrenia, bringing the confirmed death toll to 12, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel announced on Sept. 4.
Üstel said the bodies, both of which were identified as women, were found during deep-sea search operations carried out by the Turkish naval vessels TCG Işın and TCG Alemdar. Authorities have launched procedures to establish the identities of the victims.
The high-speed passenger vessel Filo Jet, which operates between Kyrenia Port in Turkish Cyprus and Taşucu Port in Türkiye’s southern Mersin province, began taking on water from its bow shortly after departing around noon on Aug. 30.
The vessel carrying 267 people capsized while attempting to return to the port.
Search efforts are continuing around the clock for the 16 people still missing, Üstel said, stressing that the operation is being conducted with the support of Türkiye and the involvement of all relevant units.
“All teams involved in the search operations will continue their work with the same determination and diligence to locate the missing individuals,” he said.
Late on Sept. 3, the premier said that additional bodies were spotted in the wreckage. He expressed hope that further recoveries could be made during the Sept. 4 operations.
Meanwhile, Turkish Defense Ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk said seven ships and 11 aircraft from the Turkish Navy were taking part in the search-and-rescue operation off Kyrenia.
Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, who visited Turkish Cyprus on Sept. 3, said that only two of the 133 people who were hospitalized after being rescued alive from the sea following the accident remain in hospital.
Neither of the two patients is in critical condition, Yılmaz said.
Expert reports prepared as part of the investigation indicated that the disaster could have been averted had the vessel returned to port slowly, immediately after it began taking on water.
