Kyrenia court hears ferry involved in fatal sinking had crashed 12 years earlier
A Kyrenia court heard that the ferry which capsized off the coast on Sunday had previously crashed and was later repaired in Turkey.
Kyrenia, Cyprus. A ferry that capsized off the Kyrenia coast on Sunday, killing at least eight people, had been involved in a crash 12 years earlier, a Turkish Cypriot court heard on Monday. Fourteen people arrested after the incident appeared before the Kyrenia district court.
Previous crash and seaworthiness inspection
A police representative told the court that the number of passengers on board had not exceeded the vessel’s capacity and that the ferry was technically capable of operating in waves of up to three metres.
The Turkish Cypriot meteorological office had stated that conditions were suitable for ferry crossings before the vessel departed on Sunday, he said.
The ferry had crashed 12 years ago, been repaired in Turkey and was bought by its current operator, Filo Denizcilik, in 2024, the representative added.
He also confirmed that the vessel had been declared seaworthy following an inspection by Istanbul-based ship classification firm Turk Loydu in June, as Turkish Cypriot ‘transport minister’ Erhan Arikli had said on Sunday.
Life-saving equipment
The court heard that there were sufficient lifejackets on board when the ferry left Kyrenia, but crew members were not adequately informed about their number and location. The police representative said this had not assisted the evacuation when the vessel began to capsize.
A defence lawyer said the ferry carried four life rafts, each with capacity for 100 people. If properly deployed, the rafts could have accommodated 400 people, exceeding the 259 passengers and eight crew members who were on board when the ferry departed.
Arrests and investigation
According to newspaper Yeniduzen, police inspector Mehmet Mannas told the court that the captain and crew had been arrested on suspicion of causing death by recklessness.
He said 239 people had been confirmed as having reached shore alive since the ferry sank. Nine of the 14 defendants were remanded in custody for three days, while the remaining three were released.
Ferry route
The ferry capsized shortly after leaving Kyrenia’s new port at about 12.10pm on Sunday. It had been travelling to the Turkish port of Tasucu.
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