The testimonies coming to light following the deadly passenger ferry sinking off the coast of Kyrenia are shocking, where eight people lost their lives and dozens remain missing.
Among the missing are two children from a family returning to Turkey after a vacation in Cyprus.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
The Houthis attacked airports in Saudi Arabia
Aiten Bizer described the dramatic moments during which she lost her 12-year-old daughter, Mirai, while her 6-year-old son, Mehmet Asaf, is also missing.
“She kept telling me, ‘Don’t leave me.’ And I didn’t leave my daughter. I swear to you, I didn’t leave her,” said the mother, with tears in her eyes, describing the moments of terror when the boat capsized.
READ ALSO: Heartbreak, pain, mourning… Scenes of an ancient tragedy in Kyrenia: Relatives collapse in the face of the nightmare of loss
Aiten Bizer reported that a suitcase fell on her amid the panic on the ship, causing her to lose contact with her daughter. Although she managed to grab the child’s foot, the little girl’s shoes were covered in oil from the ship, and the child slipped from her grasp.
“It was slippery everywhere. It was like oil. She slipped out of my hand,” she said.
Her husband, Hayri Bizer, spoke about the loss of his two children.
READ ALSO: Price gouging in the “shadow” of tragedy: Airfare prices from Tymbou to Turkey have tripled
“We couldn’t intervene; we lost our children. Two of my three children are gone. We’re leaving them behind on this island as we depart,” he said.
The passenger ferry Filo Jet was traveling from occupied Kyrenia to the port of Tasuc in Mersin, Turkey, when it capsized at sea. The ship was carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members.
The voyage had originally been scheduled for Saturday but was postponed due to severe weather conditions in the area. Although conditions improved on Sunday, the area was still experiencing difficult conditions when the accident occurred.
The search for the “black box” continues
The Filo Jet has sunk to a depth of approximately 514 meters, a fact that significantly complicates search and data recovery operations. Authorities are working to locate and recover the ship’s “black box” in order to determine the exact causes of the tragedy.
READ ALSO: “Could this be my son?”: Shocking scenes at the port of Kyrenia, as parents stop ambulances and search for their children
Eight crew members, including the captain, as well as one other man, have been arrested as part of the investigation.
Authorities are examining all the data regarding the ship’s condition, weather conditions, and the decisions made prior to departure.
Source: Proto Thema
