Investigations are now focusing on the circumstances that led to the sinking of the “Filo Jet,” while anxiety continues over the missing passengers from the shipwreck off the coast of occupied Kyrenia. Survivors are reporting serious safety violations and an inadequate response by the crew, while the captain and eight other individuals have been taken into “custody” and are being brought before a court. The catamaran lies at a depth of 514 meters, and recovering the black box is considered critical.

The search and rescue operation continues, with 18 people still missing and eight people confirmed dead.

According to Turkish Cypriot media, among the missing are two siblings, a 12-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy, members of a family of five who were traveling from Kyrenia to Tasouziou. The children’s mother speaks about the circumstances of the shipwreck and how she lost contact with her children in a video posted by some media outlets, in which she appears distressed and emotionally overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, Turkish Cypriot journalists report that the ill-fated catamaran is 26 years old and had experienced problems in the past, while the testimonies of the shipwreck’s survivors are shocking.

Maritime Disaster in Girne: Filo Jet Sinks, 8 People Lose

Their Lives In the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, the passenger ship Filo Jet, which had set sail from Girne bound for the port of Taşucu in Mersin, capsized and sank, resulting in a major disaster.

There were 259 passengers and 8 crew members on board… pic.twitter.com/1aZ3acSCB8

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— objektifcesme (@objektifcesme) August 30, 2026

“Everyone escaped on their own”

The focus is now on passengers’ accounts of what happened just minutes after departure.

Ibrahim Kanbolat claimed that when passengers informed the crew that water was coming into the catamaran, the response they received was: “We’re used to this; it’s normal.”

“A lot of water started coming in. Eventually, a section on the side broke. I was sitting by the window. The boat immediately began to list. The crew member went to the back and then said, ‘Everyone run to the back.’ He didn’t give anyone a life jacket. Everyone saved themselves on their own,” he described.

READ ALSO: “We couldn’t find any life jackets; they told us to wait”: Three children among the missing, shocking accounts from the tragedy in Kyrenia

He was rescued by a private boat and complained that the crew members did not hand out life jackets, even though there were children and people who could not swim among the passengers.

Probably the most terrifying video from the ship that sank off the coast of Girne. pic.twitter.com/kb63HgL5n3

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— Vasil Ata (@vasilata1) August 30, 2026

“It was literally a struggle for survival”

Efe Multici conveyed a similar account to CNN Türk.

As he reported, some passengers were forced to jump into the sea without life jackets.

“Some were forced to jump without life rings or vests. It was literally a struggle for survival,” he said.

According to his account, the ship began taking on water about 20 to 25 minutes after departing from Kyrenia, around 12 p.m. local time.

The departure had already been delayed due to strong winds.

“The lack of life jackets was a huge problem for us,” he said, and when describing the ship’s movement, he added, “It was like being in a gondola.”

People were trapped and struggling to get out. A source of mine in Cyprus sent me footage taken after the incident—footage you may be seeing for the first time. It’s truly heartbreaking… Every single second underscores the scale of the disaster once again. Search efforts are ongoing. pic.twitter.com/jAirjDh7bo

— Adem Metan (@AdemMetan) August 30, 2026

The man who saved dozens of passengers

Equally shocking is the account of Firat Gencer, the owner of a water sports company, who participated in the rescue operations with his own boat.

When he saw the catamaran leaving the harbor amid particularly stormy seas, he recalls commenting along with others: “Who would travel in weather like this?”

A short time later, he saw orange objects floating in the sea and notified the Coast Guard. At first, they told him there had been no report of an incident, but five minutes later they called him back and said, “The ship is sinking.”

SEE ALSO: Deadly shipwreck in Kyrenia: The pseudo-state declared three days of mourning; occupying authorities promise to hold those responsible accountable

He rushed to the scene and transported approximately 35 to 40 people onto his boat.

As he reported, he gave priority to young children and infants, and rescued a total of about 15 to 20 children.

“In the middle of the sea, it was a fight for survival,” he described, saying that people in the water were begging him, “Save me.”

New footage emerging from the Filo Jet disaster off the coast of Girne captures the moment the ship capsized and sank.

Video: Murat Şahin#news #TRNC #Cyprus pic.twitter.com/SLwU4GzktH

— Cyprus Post (@kibris_postasi) August 30, 2026

The 26-year-old ship had serious problems in the past as well

Unanswered questions are emerging following the shipwreck off the coast of Kyrenia and the tragic death toll—so far—of eight people.

Turkish Cypriot journalists began publicly raising questions about the shipwreck yesterday, criticizing “Transport Minister” Erhan Arikli. The editor-in-chief of the Bugyun Kıbrıs website, Ayşemden Akin, wrote that initially, this particular ferry was not granted permission to sail yesterday due to bad weather, but an hour later, permission was finally granted, and the ship sank off the coast of Kyrenia.

The reporter points out that the “Ports Department” falls under the jurisdiction of the “Minister of Transportation,” and it is Erhan Arikli who must answer the question of why permission was ultimately granted.

READ ALSO: “Turn back!”: The screams and panic aboard the ill-fated vessel as it began taking on water | AlphaNews

“Who changed the initial decision that ‘it cannot set sail’? Who signed the document authorizing Filo Jet’s departure from the port? On what information was this decision based? Erhan Arikli cannot simply say, ‘The ship was inspected two months ago!’ He is obligated to disclose to the public the route permit, the inspection reports, and the port departure document issued on the day of the tragedy!” he wrote.

Meanwhile, another website reports that the catamaran, now named FILO JET, was also used for routes between Turkey and the occupied territories 23 years ago under the name IRIS JET. The vessel’s identification number remains the same: IMO 8962034.

The article refers to a decision by the French Court of Cassation dated March 10, 2009, according to which the IRIS JET was operated by Meltem Sea Buses to transport passengers between Turkey and the occupied territories. In 2003, the catamaran struck a dock during a maneuver in the port, and a few days later, it began taking on water during a voyage from Turkey to the occupied territories. The incident led to a dispute and a legal battle between the insurance companies and the ship’s owner at the time.

The vessel later changed owners and flags, underwent renovations, and 23 years later, under the name FiloJet, it continues to operate the same route.

Another Turkish Cypriot journalist, Aysu Basri Akter, wrote that the catamaran named FiloJet, with IMO number 8962034, is 26 years old. It was built in France and has a rather complicated history, she notes, as it has changed flags many times: it has flown the flags of Spain, Greece, the Caribbean, and Panama. It was seized and towed to a shipyard, where it remained for four years and subsequently underwent extensive repairs.

Akter cites publicly available data online and notes that from its construction in 2000 until 2024, the ship was known as the Iris Jet. “Registration records, which are extremely important in shipping,” — he explains — are also complex, and he cites as an example that the ship appears to have been removed from the Russian Naval Register, but the exact date is unclear. There are no subsequent records, he writes, noting that this is the first information available and stating that answering the questions raised is of vital importance, as is investigating the numerous allegations concerning the ship.