The death toll from the Filo Jet ferry disaster off Girne (Kyrenia) in northern Cyprus has risen to 13, while 15 people remain missing as rescue teams continue a painstaking search for survivors and victims nearly a week after the vessel sank.
Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Ünal Üstel, announced the latest toll on Saturday after rescuers recovered another body from the waters where the passenger vessel went down.
“With the recovery of the latest body, the number of our people who lost their lives in the accident has risen to 13, while the number of our missing people is now 15,” Üstel said.
The Filo Jet, a high-speed passenger catamaran, was carrying 267 people — 259 passengers and eight crew members — when it capsized on Sunday, August 30, shortly after leaving Girne Port for Taşucu in Mersin, Türkiye.
The vessel began taking on water shortly after departure and later overturned and sank off the coast of Girne.
A major search-and-rescue operation was launched involving Turkish Cypriot and Turkish coastguard and naval assets, helicopters and specialised rescue teams.
The search has been particularly challenging because the wreck lies in deep water, with earlier reports putting the depth at more than 500 metres.
Turkish naval vessels and specialised equipment have been involved in efforts to locate and recover those still missing.
The tragedy has also triggered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the sinking.
Survivors have raised allegations concerning the response of the crew, including claims that warnings about the vessel taking on water were not adequately acted upon and that some passengers struggled to access life jackets. Authorities have said the allegations will be thoroughly investigated.
The captain and members of the crew have been detained as authorities investigate the disaster, including questions surrounding the vessel’s seaworthiness, safety procedures and the circumstances in which it was allowed to undertake the voyage.
The Filo Jet disaster has become one of the most serious maritime accidents in the waters around northern Cyprus in recent years.
Authorities have pledged to continue the search while investigations into what caused the ferry to capsize and whether safety procedures were properly followed remain ongoing.