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One side of the hull is still on the surface, while the other is already ineluctably submerged. And several people, equipped with life jackets, are desperately trying to avoid ending up in the water. The amateur videos that captured some moments of the shipwreck of the “Filo Jet”, a catamaran-type ferry, which occurred off the coast of Northern Cyprus are dramatic: an accident in which at least 8 people died, while another 18 are still missing, according to the local authorities.
While the search for those missing continues and attempts are made to reconstruct the exact causes of what happened, there are 242 survivors. Dozens of them were taken to hospitals on the island. Meanwhile, the captain and eight other crew members were arrested on suspicion of possible negligence, the Cypriot press reported. “Every aspect of this incident will be investigated,” promised the prime minister of the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Cyprus, Unal Ustel. According to the Farnesina, at the moment there are no Italians involved.
The course and the alarm four miles from the coast
The ferry – a high-speed vessel flying the Turkish flag, 40 meters long and 10 meters wide – set sail around midday local time from Kyrenia/Girne towards Mersin Taşucu, a town in the Turkish province of Mersin. But about 4 nautical miles from the coast the catamaran began to take on water, Northern Cyprus’ Transport Minister Erhan Arikli explained to Turkish media.
Second CNN Turkas the ferry was starting to sink, emergency calls were made and several rescue units were quickly mobilized to the scene. Private boats that were in the area also rushed to the site of the accident. Rescuers began to take care of the shipwrecked passengers, some of whom were hoisted aboard a rescue helicopter using a rope. Turkish forces were also among the forces mobilised. “We have launched extensive search and rescue operations in collaboration with the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced. In the end, the catamaran “completely sank”, ending up at a depth of 514 metres, Arikli specified.
The two waves and the story of a survivor
There are still no conclusive versions regarding the reasons for the disaster. However, the first hypotheses are starting to circulate. The Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus spoke of at least two strong waves that hit the ferry after its departure, adding that after the impact of the second the hull began to take on water. Furthermore, he explained that the «Filo Jet» should have set sail already on Saturday, but at that time there had not been the green light due to adverse weather conditions.
A different aspect highlighted by one of the survivors of the accident, an unidentified passenger interviewed by local TV once rescued. «The bow exploded as the ship tried to reverse course. And the side windows shattered. The ferry took on water,” he said, visibly shaken. The man added another disturbing detail, claiming that the captain of the ferry would have “thrown himself first” into the sea to save himself, omitting “any planning” for managing the emergency. A detail, this, which recalls the tragedy of Costa Concordiawhen Captain Francesco Schettino abandoned the ship – which was sinking after the collision with the rocks of Giglio Island – while the evacuation of the passengers was still underway. And which seems to be able to strengthen the suspicion of possible negligence raised by the authorities.
The company note
For its part, the company to which the vessel belongs, Filo Denizcilik, said it was “deeply saddened by the tragic accident”. In a statement, the group said that resources had been mobilized to coordinate with search and rescue teams and that a dedicated telephone line had been activated to provide information to passengers’ families.