The sea off Kyrenia has become a watery grave following the horrific sinking of the Filo Jet catamaran. With the search and rescue operations at the site in full swing, the teams involved in the recovery operations have located two more bodies, bringing the death toll to 12, while another 16 people remain missing.
Yesterday, as a reminder, two bodies were recovered from the wreck at a depth of 550 meters: that of a Turkish Cypriot, Ismail Koul, and that of a woman, Elmas Demir, from Mersin. The agonizing wait for her husband, Demir, who had been waiting at the port of Kyrenia for days, as well as that of her five children, who had been pleading from Turkey to find their mother, finally came to an end.
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Meanwhile, during yesterday’s recovery operation, rescuers spotted what appeared to be bodies, and efforts are now focused on that specific location, where they will continue their search today. However, the wreck lies at a depth of 554 meters, which has complicated the entire process and prevented them from proceeding more quickly.
After the sea surface was scanned by aircraft and naval vessels, attention has now shifted to the wreck itself, with the deployment of a remotely operated underwater vehicle and the use of an advanced sonar system.
Two deep-water rescue ships of the Turkish Navy— the TCG Işın and the TCG Alemdar.
Using thermal cameras that transmit real-time images, footage is being captured to locate the 18 missing persons, who are believed to be trapped inside the vessel. Operations are being conducted with great care as visibility is limited.
It should be noted that during this difficult operation, one body was initially recovered, belonging to one of the two citizens of the pseudo-state who was on the list of missing persons.
Turkey has launched an investigation
Meanwhile, an investigation into the shipwreck that occurred off the coast of Kyrenia on August 30 was launched by the Marine Accident Investigation Department of the Transportation and Infrastructure Safety Investigation Centerof the Turkish Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
The technical team, led by Durali İşler, head of the Marine Accident Investigation Department of the Transportation Safety Investigation Center, will conduct investigations into the accident and prepare a technical report regarding the Filo Jet, the vessel involved in the incident.
Search efforts to locate the missing persons, following the capsizing of the passenger vessel Filo Jet during its voyage from Kyrenia to Tasoujou (Seleucia), are continuing for the sixth day. The relatives of the missing persons continue to wait anxiously under tents set up at the entrance to the port of occupied Kyrenia.
In addition to military ships and vessels from Turkey and the pseudo-state, military aircraft, drones, and helicopters dispatched from Turkey.
Meanwhile, the “port authority” announced that, due to the search and rescue operations, restrictions will be imposed on navigation and activities in the maritime area from Davlos to Kormakitis. Until further notice, water sports activities in the area have been suspended, the operation of tourist boats has been restricted, and navigation and the operation of boats and fishing vessels within the designated search and rescue zone have been prohibited. At the same time, a safe passageway has been established for entering and exiting the marina.
READ ALSO: Fatal shipwreck off Kyrenia: The second body found in the wreck of the sunken catamaran belongs to a woman | AlphaNews
