The investigation into the sinking of a ferry off the coast of Northern Cyprus, which left 8 people dead and 20 missing, is intensifying as doubts mount over the captain’s qualifications and the validity of his maritime licence, particularly as it has emerged that he obtained his licence in Honduras because he was having difficulty obtaining one in Turkey, and also that the crew on board the vessel lacked documentation and training.
Legal proceedings are continuing following the sinking of a ferry which capsized and sank last Sunday with 267 people on board whilst travelling between Girne (Kyrenia) – in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) – and the port of Taşucu, in the Turkish province of Mersin. The captain of the ferry, identified by the initials M.Ö., the first mate M.S., the crew members M.G., S.E., V.H., R.İ., Z.Ö. and K.K., as well as the company employee A.Ö., were arrested and brought before the Girne Court, with their period of detention subsequently extended by a further eight days.
Whilst the investigation continues and efforts are underway to recover the bodies of the missing, at a depth of more than 500 metres, new details have come to light regarding the captain and crew of the ‘Filo Jet’ ferry. An expert witness reportedly told the court that the accident could have been avoided if the captain had turned the vessel around upon realising it was taking on water, a situation several passengers had alerted the crew to.
M.S., the ship’s second officer, is also reported to have stated in his testimony before the judge that the port of Taşucu in Türkiye was closed due to a storm, but that the ferry set sail nonetheless and that “the decision to set sail was taken on the captain’s initiative”.
A captain with a dubious licence and an untrained crew
However, Captain M.Ö., who was arrested in the early stages of the investigation, maintained in court that, according to the weather data he had, there were no issues with setting sail.
It has also emerged that the captain left the profession for 10 years because his licence had expired, and that he subsequently obtained a new one in Honduras due to difficulties in securing one in Turkey, where the process was more stringent, according to the Turkish news channel NTV.
It has also been reported that the vessel, which operated the route between Turkey and Northern Cyprus, was sold to a Greek company following an accident in 2003 and, after being repaired, made more than 300 voyages. In 2024, the vessel was then acquired by Filo Denizcilik, the company operating the stricken ferry. Local media also claim that the crew lacked the necessary documentation and training; an investigation is also being considered to determine whether some of its members committed offences against public officials.
Nine bodies recovered following the ferry sinking
So far, the bodies of nine people have been recovered following the sinking of the ferry off the coast of the Turkish Cypriot town of Girne. Passengers on board testified that when they realised water was entering the vessel, they alerted the crew, but the crew did not take the situation seriously.
Whilst search and rescue operations continued following the maritime disaster, Northern Cyprus’s Transport Minister, Erhan Arıklı, has been sacked. Arıklı, leader of the Renaissance Party (YDP) – one of the parties in the Turkish Cypriot coalition government – subsequently announced that, in response, his party was leaving the government.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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