Anger mounted for a third consecutive day at Kyrenia harbour on Tuesday as relatives of people missing after the deadly ferry disaster demanded answers and accountability from officials.
Three days after the tragedy, exhaustion and fading hopes have increasingly given way to frustration among families waiting for news of their loved ones. Relatives have remained at the harbour, seeking updates on the search operation as each passing hour deepens the uncertainty.
Tensions escalated with the arrival of "interior minister" Dursun Oguz, who visited the port to receive a briefing on the search efforts and conditions facing the families of the missing. His presence, however, drew criticism from relatives, who insisted that the "transport minister" should attend instead.
"Let the transport minister come here," relatives shouted at Oguz, expressing dissatisfaction and anger over the handling of the situation.
The same demand was repeated later when Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman and "prime minister" Unal Ustel arrived at the harbour. Relatives of the missing again called out, "We want the transport minister," demanding the presence of the official they believe should answer questions both about the circumstances leading up to the tragedy and its aftermath.
Clashes outside security forces building
The tension extended beyond verbal protests.
On Tuesday morning, an incident occurred outside the building of the Turkish Cypriot "security forces" at Kyrenia's new port, where some relatives confronted soldiers.
Families of those still missing had gathered outside the port for a third straight day. A small group approached the entrance, demanding that "transport minister" Erhan Arikli appear before relatives of the missing and the victims to provide explanations.
According to the Cyprus Mail, one protester managed to squeeze through a gap between the gate and a guard post and enter the compound. A soldier gave chase and was joined by other members of the "security forces".
The situation escalated within seconds. Security personnel eventually restrained the protester on the ground, while several other relatives managed to cross the perimeter fence.
Amid the disturbance, a Turkish soldier carrying an automatic weapon ran towards the gate and told journalists at the scene that filming in the area was no longer permitted.
14-year-old victim buried in Turkey
Meanwhile, 14-year-old Nisa Torer, who died in the ferry disaster off Kyrenia, was laid to rest in the Turkish city of Gaziantep.
According to Turkish Cypriot media reports, emotional scenes unfolded during the funeral. Nisa's younger brothers, 11-year-old Yusuf and 10-year-old Yunus, who survived the same disaster, became unwell and were escorted away from the ceremony by relatives.
The family's tragedy extends beyond the death of the teenager. Reports said Nisa and her siblings lost their mother, Gunes, to cancer about four years ago, while their father, Ferdi Torer, who was also on board the vessel, remains missing. Search efforts for him are continuing.
A family relative, Mustafa Can, said the family had travelled to the north of Cyprus for a holiday and that the accident occurred during their return journey.
Referring to the investigation into the causes of the disaster, Can called for severe penalties for those found responsible.
"We want those responsible to be punished in the strictest way. Entire families were lost, children died. Right now, all of Turkey is hurting. This pain is not only ours, it is the pain of all of us," he said.
