Fatal shipwreck of Filo Jet ferry off the coast of Kyrenia

On the morning of Sunday, August 30, 2026, the passenger catamaran Filo Jet capsized and sank four nautical miles off the coast of Kyrenia, in the occupied northern part of Cyprus. The vessel was en route from Kyrenia to Tasucu, Turkey, when it began taking on water and overturned during an attempted return to port. Out of 267 people on board, 8 deaths have been confirmed, 239 survivors were rescued, and 20 remain missing. The wreckage lies at a depth of approximately 514 meters.

Following the tragedy, nine individuals were placed under three-day detention, including shareholders of the operating company Filo Jet and port authority employees, facing potential charges of death by negligence. Authorities have suspended relevant port officials pending further legal proceedings. Meanwhile, the search for the missing continues, with the Turkish naval vessel TCG Isin deploying advanced underwater equipment.

Public anger has grown in the region, with relatives of the missing demanding accountability and criticizing the authorities for insufficient safety measures and oversight. The Turkish Cypriot Bar Association has called for an independent investigation into whether public agencies fulfilled their licensing and inspection duties. Search efforts are ongoing, focusing on the submerged vessel, while some personal belongings of victims have recently been recovered along the coast.