At least eight dead and at least 18 missing - this is the tragic toll after a passenger ferry accident off the coast of Northern Cyprus. After the fatal accident, some of the rescued passengers have made serious allegations against the crew.
A few kilometers from the coast
It is alleged that when it became clear that a disaster was imminent, the ferry captain fled from the board. And some of the rescued passengers reported locked doors and blocked emergency exits, Turkish Cypriot Transport Minister Erhan Arikli told the Turkish news agency "Anadolu".
All charges are currently being investigated intensively, and the captain and crew members were arrested on Sunday evening.
The "Filo Jet" ferry capsized on Sunday afternoon, shortly after setting sail from the port city of Kyrenia. For reasons that are still unclear, water entered the ship, causing the ferry to tilt to one side before sinking a few kilometers from the coast. At least eight people have died, and 18 or 19 of the passengers are missing.
Dramatic scenes unfolded during the rescue operation. People in life jackets clung to the floating part of the sunken ferry, waiting to be rescued as a helicopter circled overhead. Witnesses described chaos on board, with passengers on the lower deck of the two-story ship frantically trying to break windows to get out. Most of the passengers were eventually rescued.
"Even the slightest negligence will come to light"
The government of the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, recognized only by Turkey, has announced that it will fully investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and hold those responsible accountable. "Even the slightest negligence will be exposed", promised Prime Minister Ünal Üstel.
A search is planned for the wreckage of the ship, which lies at a depth of over 500 meters. The hope is to find the black box, which could provide information about the exact cause and course of the incident, said Transport Minister Erhan Arakli. According to him, the ferry was inspected only about two months ago.