The Turkish Cypriot authorities have detained the captain and the other seven crew members of the passenger ship that sank this Sunday off the northern coast of Cyprus, a shipwreck that has caused the death of at least eight people, reports the Turkish Cypriot prime minister, Ünal Üstel, according to Efe.
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“We are facing a tragic accident that will go down in history as the greatest maritime disaster Cyprus has ever suffered,” said the leader referring to the sinking at sea of a high-speed ferry with 267 people on board (259 passengers and eight crew members).
The head of the government of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) made these statements, reported by the Kibris Postasi portal, while the Minister of Transport, Erhan Arikli, announced that the number of deaths had risen from seven to eight and the number of missing persons had been reduced to 17.
More than 200 people have been rescued alive, an undetermined number of them with injuries of varying severity.
The Filojet vessel, a 40.5-meter high-speed catamaran belonging to the Turkish company Filo Denizcilik, had departed from the port of Girne (Kirenia in Greek) bound for Turkey when it encountered a severe storm.
The crew issued a distress call (mayday) at 12:10 local time (09:10 GMT) to report that the ship was taking on water about three miles off the northern coast of Cyprus.
Although rescue operations began immediately with the deployment of four Coast Guard boats, two helicopters, a patrol boat, an assault boat, and diving teams from Civil Defense and the Police, the ship ended up capsizing and sinking.
The shipping company has also formed an internal crisis management team to mobilize all its resources, according to a statement.
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These efforts have been joined in recent hours by two aircraft, four helicopters, four unmanned aerial vehicles, and four Coast Guard vessels deployed by the Turkish Armed Forces, the prime minister detailed.
In addition, the arrival of a search and rescue ship from the Turkish Naval Forces capable of scanning depths of up to 1000 meters to reach the wreck is expected.
“While search and rescue operations continue, an investigation has been immediately launched to determine the causes of this disaster. The ship’s captain and seven crew members have been detained,” Üstel said without revealing the identities of those arrested.
According to the leader, the vessel is completely submerged in an area where the sea depth is about 500 meters, and it is feared that there are still people trapped inside.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following a Turkish military invasion. The Republic of Cyprus, predominantly Greek Cypriot and a member of the European Union, controls the south, while the north is occupied by the TRNC, an entity recognized only by Ankara.
Images broadcast by Turkish television channels show the ship tossed and partially submerged in a rough sea despite good weather, as well as ongoing evacuation operations and numerous debris floating on the surface.
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