Criminal errors and omissions led to the deadly shipwreck off the coast of Kyrenia. This was evident from the statements made today at the so-called Kyrenia court, where the nine suspects in the tragedy—which, by all accounts, was a foregone conclusion—were brought this morning. Among those arrested were the ship’s captain and the director of the shipowner’s company.
The fateful decision to set sail with the ill-fated Filo Jet was made by the captain, despite the fact that the port of Tasouzo was closed due to rough seas until 3:00 p.m. and despite the second captain’s pleas. Both were aware of the engine and rudder malfunctions, as well as the damage to the passenger compartment. The new water ingress was not taken into account, precisely because it had happened again recently.
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Under scrutiny by the team of experts from Turkey’s Marine Accident Investigation Department, which arrived yesterday to examine the ship’s murky past and prepare a preliminarypreliminary findings, are allegations that one of the Filo Jet’s doors was locked, trapping many passengers inside. As it turns out, the ship was not authorized to operate on the high seas and did not possess international safety certificates.
Inside the wreck
Search operations are continuing for the fifth day. After the sea surface was scanned by aircraft and naval vessels, attention is now focused on the wreck, with the deployment of a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and the use of an advanced sonar system.
“A dive was conducted using a robotic system; the ship was located and examined with cameras. There is also information that the robotic device mapped the areas where intervention was possible.”
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Two deep-water rescue ships of the Turkish Navy, the TCG Işın and the TCG Alemdar, are conducting diving operations on the sunken catamaran, which has been located at a depth of 550 meters.
Using thermal cameras that transmit real-time images, the teams are gathering footage to locate the 19 missing people, who are believed to be trapped inside the vessel. The operations are being conducted with extreme caution as visibility is limited.
“At these depths, the pressure is very high. There may still be people on the lower deck.”
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A Painful Wait
Following the discovery of yet another body—belonging to one of the two citizens of the pseudo-state who were on the list of missing persons—the death toll has risen to nine. As hopes fade, the anguish and anger of the relatives at the port of Kyrenia are growing. Despite the high temperatures, families remain in tents, waiting for news about their loved ones.
“People wait hopefully in tents under the scorching heat, which reaches 40 degrees. The wait continues.”
The stories of this tragedy that come to light every day are heartbreaking. Such as those of a mother and father who, after saving their children, were lost at sea. Gülcan Gurel took off the life jacket she was wearing to give it to her daughter. Twenty-eight-year-old Fahri Ates drowned after first saving his wife and child.
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“He took his wife and child onto the deck and went to find a life jacket for himself. Ateş, who returned to the ship, never came back out.”
A survivor described how he pried open a jammed door by climbing on metal bars and seats, allowing about 50 people to escape, but he didn’t have time to grab a little girl before the boat rose vertically.
Watch Christoforos Nestoros’s report:
The captain of the ill-fated catamaran, however, appears to be in for a very difficult trial, as, in addition to the tragedy, he is likely implicated in various other illegal activities.
Here is everything Hatice Kerlo reported on Alpha TV’s main newscast:
