Every section of the sunken Kyrenia ferry was searched, with no other bodies found inside, 'prime minister' Unal Ustel, announced on Friday.
The announcement came after the remand for the nine suspects in connection with the shipwreck that unfolded on August 30. The remand extended for a further seven days and prompted a reaction from relatives of missing persons and victims, who are demanding justice.
Ustel also said that the vessel’s voyage data recorder (VDR) was located on Friday and handed over to the 'police' for examination. He met with the families of the missing and briefed them on the latest developments in the search.
According to a written statement, Orhan Taktak, owner of Deep Water, provided the relatives with detailed information about the searches. Images were shown demonstrating how the inside of the vessel had been searched and how access was gained to every section after cutting through it.
“There is no area of the vessel that has not been searched. Extensive searches have not revealed any other bodies inside the vessel. The body found last week was also recovered under extremely difficult conditions. However, our search is not over. We are continuing our efforts by air, on land and at sea to find any bodies that may be found underwater or on the surface,” the statement said.
The briefing prompted a reaction from relatives who, according to Yeni Duzen, believe they have been deceived for days and are demanding that their loved ones be found so they can proceed with their burial.
The nine suspects in the shipwreck appeared before the Kyrenia 'district court' for the fifth time and were remanded in custody for a further seven days. Dozens of relatives of victims and missing persons were outside the 'court'.
The 'police investigator' told the 'court' that photographs had been found on the second captain’s mobile phone in a WhatsApp conversation dated 17 June 2026. The photographs showed a broken left front bridge of the vessel. Photographs of the vessel being repaired by the crew were also found. According to the testimony, the particular section was critical and required repair by specialists.
The investigator added that the port authorities and Turkish Lloyd, which had issued the certificate of unsuitability, had not been informed of the damage. Authorities are also continuing to search for a company associate who was authorised to supervise maintenance and repairs.
It was also reported that some suspects, who were members of the crew, gave voluntary statements and confirmed that the vessel had suffered damage in the past.
At a press conference outside the Kyrenia 'court', the families held photographs of their loved ones and banners bearing the slogans “Not an accident, but murder”, “They did not die, they were killed”, “They took away their dreams”, “We demand justice” and “Our hearts are burning”.
Dilek Ozbilen, who lost her mother in the shipwreck, said that “while some people sleep comfortably in their homes, we, the families, wait on the road by the port for the bodies of our children, siblings, spouses, mothers and fathers. We are not causing unrest here. We are not starting fights. We are simply asking for information”.
She said the families’ only consolation now was to recover the bodies of their loved ones, bring them back and bury them. She called for the search efforts to be carried out much more quickly and intensively, and for the families to receive comprehensive and official information at least every other day.
She also questioned whether there had been enough life jackets on the vessel and whether the evacuation had been carried out properly.
“If the evacuation had been carried out correctly and on time, would we still be here today waiting for the bodies of our 13 loved ones, including a three-year-old baby? The captain and crew are before the court. But where are the people responsible for the company? Where are the company employees? Is the responsibility of the port administration being investigated? Is the responsibility of the competent transport authorities who were on duty at the time of the tragedy being investigated? Who conducted which inspection? Who approved the voyage? Who saw no problem with this vessel’s departure?”
Ozbilen stressed that the crack in the vessel’s left front bridge became known on 17 June and that information about the repairs came to light during the court proceedings. She questioned who had inspected the vessel if such a problem was known.
She said the families now wanted specific answers, not just explanations, and demanded that it be revealed who made mistakes, who neglected their duties and who failed to inspect, ignored or failed to intervene in time, so that all those responsible could be held accountable before the law.
Source: CNA
