Fatal shipwreck of Filo Jet near Kyrenia leaves eight dead and twenty missing

On Sunday afternoon, the passenger catamaran Filo Jet capsized and sank approximately four nautical miles off the coast of Kyrenia while en route to Tasucu, Turkey. The vessel, carrying 267 passengers and crew, began taking on water in its forward section shortly after departure, eventually sinking to a depth of roughly 514 meters. Official reports confirm eight fatalities and twenty missing individuals, while 239 people have been rescued. Following the tragedy, authorities detained nine individuals, including the captain, crew members, and a company representative, on charges of negligence leading to death, while five other suspects were released under investigation.

The incident has sparked public outcry, with survivors and families of victims alleging negligence, inadequate safety measures, and a failure of the crew to properly assist during the evacuation. Rescue operations are currently transitioning into a high-depth search phase, with the Turkish naval vessel TCG Isin arriving to assist using advanced remote-operated vehicles to investigate the wreck. Officials have suspended local port authorities for granting sailing permission despite reportedly poor weather conditions, and all future sailings by the company have been halted pending the ongoing investigation and the recovery of the vessel's black box.