The tragedy off the northern coast of Cyprus has seen the death toll rise to 12 as rescue teams found two more bodies overnight, as reported by Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel. The additional victims, both women, have yet to be formally identified. In total, four bodies have been retrieved from the wreck of the Filo Jet, which rests about 554 meters underwater, while 16 individuals are still missing.
The catamaran began to take on water shortly after departing from Kyrenia for the Turkish mainland and quickly capsized, sinking several kilometers from shore. Investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the flooding.
Following the incident, a total of 239 passengers were successfully rescued. The wreck was located with the aid of remotely operated vehicles by a specialist Turkish team on Wednesday, leading to a significant operation involving the Turkish Navy’s submarine rescue ship TCG Alemdar in conjunction with TCG Işın.
Prime Minister Üstel assured that efforts would continue until all missing persons were accounted for, and those deemed responsible for the sinking would face legal repercussions. Already, multiple officials, including some from the port authority and the transportation ministry, have been suspended during the investigation, while the vessel’s captain and several crew members have been arrested as authorities work to ascertain the circumstances that led to the catastrophic event.
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