The death toll from the shipwreck off Kyrenia last Sunday has risen to 12. For a sixth consecutive day, the families of the 16 people still missing remain at the port, waiting for any information about their loved ones.
Anxiety is mounting as the hours pass, with search and rescue operations continuing around the clock, both on the surface and underwater. Relatives are staying in tents erected outside Kyrenia harbour, anxiously awaiting each update.
Two more bodies recovered
Turkish Cypriot “prime minister” Ünal Üstel met relatives of the missing on Friday morning at the entrance to Kyrenia’s tourist harbour. He later announced that two more bodies had been recovered during the operations, bringing the confirmed death toll to 12.
Üstel said the search for the 16 missing people was continuing without interruption. Turkish and Turkish Cypriot military vessels and boats, as well as aircraft, drones and helicopters, are taking part in the operation.
Five children waited for news of their mother
One of the bodies recovered from the sea has been identified as Elmas Demir, who was originally from Mersin and lived in Eskişehir.
The identification brought her family’s days-long wait to the most tragic conclusion. Her husband had been at Kyrenia harbour in recent days awaiting news from the search, while her five children remained in Turkey and issued appeals for their mother to be found.
‘The vessel was taking on water from the start’
Three young survivors described the harrowing moments they experienced during the shipwreck.
Burak Arif Kaya, 23, said they realised soon after boarding that the vessel was taking on water. When they informed the captain, he allegedly replied: “I have been a captain for years. I know better than you.”
Shortly afterwards, Kaya said, the vessel’s interior began filling with water, the doors were locked and there were not enough life jackets.
He helped an eight-month pregnant woman escape through a window, while he and two other young men rescued three children.
Kaya also alleged that the captain and his assistant jumped from the vessel, while there was no one nearby to help the passengers trapped inside.
Burak Can Keskin, 22, said they escaped by smashing a window amid large waves and panic.
His father revealed that his son called him as the vessel was sinking and said: “We are drowning, Dad. The vessel is sinking. Forgive me.”
Hours later, a second call came.
“Dad, we survived.”
