First funeral held as Kyrenia catamaran search enters second night
Nuray Zeytun Ozbiler was buried in Famagusta as search operations continued after the Filo Jet catamaran sank off Kyrenia.
Kyrenia, Cyprus. The first funeral for a victim of Sunday’s Filo Jet catamaran disaster was held in Famagusta on Monday afternoon, while search operations continued for a second consecutive night off the coast of Kyrenia.
Nuray Zeytun Ozbiler, 59, a mother of four, was laid to rest after dying in the sinking.
Funeral and transfers
The funeral was attended by ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel, Republican Turkish Party (CTP) leader Sila Usar Incirli, several ‘ministers’ and ‘MPs’, as well as Ozbiler’s relatives.
The bodies of several other victims were transferred to Turkey for burial in the cities where they lived. The bodies of Huseyin Ozdemir and Reyhan Verim were transferred to Mersin, while Nihat Bayemez’s body was taken to Gaziantep, where his funeral was due to take place on Tuesday.
Survivors receiving treatment
Turkish Cypriot media reported that victim Fahri Ates was a gendarmerie specialist sergeant travelling with his wife and four-year-old child. He reportedly saved his wife and child but was unable to save himself.
His wife and child are being treated at a hospital in the north, while the rest of his family lives in Tremetousia.
Turkish official visits crisis centre
Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Haci Ali Ozel, spending a second day in the north, visited the crisis management centre in Kyrenia on Monday. He was briefed by Ustel, ‘health minister’ Hakan Dincyurek and other officials.
Ozel also visited Turkish nationals receiving treatment at various hospitals and spoke with their relatives. He said efforts were continuing to meet the needs of victims and other Turkish citizens, including arrangements for transfers to Turkey, and said Turkish authorities were ready to provide further assistance if required.
Search operation
The search operation continued through a second night with eight ships, nine boats, one aircraft, seven helicopters and five UAV drones involved.
Ustel said a specialised search vessel from Turkey, capable of operating at depths of up to 1,000 metres, was expected to arrive on Tuesday to reinforce the operation.
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