Kyrenia court hears ferry repairs were superficial before fatal sinking

Kyrenia, Cyprus. The ferry that sank off the coast of Kyrenia last month underwent what were described in court as “superficial” repairs in June after a crack appeared on its left side. Nine people accused of causing death by negligence remain in custody over the disaster.

Repairs and certification

According to Yeniduzen, a police representative told the Turkish Cypriot Kyrenia district court on Friday that photographs recovered from the first mate’s mobile phone showed that the repairs were carried out on June 17 by the boat’s captain and crew.

The repairs took place 15 days after Istanbul-based ship classification firm Turk Loydu had certified the ferry as seaworthy.

The certificate issued by Turk Loydu states that it is valid until 2029. However, the firm’s online database lists the certificate as “invalid”. It remains unclear whether the certificate was declared invalid before or after the ferry sank on August 30.

The Cyprus Mail has contacted Turk Loydu. Turkish Cypriot police said last week that they were also awaiting a response from the company regarding the procedures followed during the ferry’s examination.

Deaths and custody order

All nine suspects are accused of causing death by negligence. Fourteen people have been confirmed dead and a further 14 remained unaccounted for 19 days after the sinking.

Families of those missing gathered outside the courthouse in Kyrenia on Friday and remonstrated with the suspects as they entered and left the court.

At the end of the proceedings, the captain, Mustafa Oz, seven crew members and a director of the ferry’s operating company, Filo Denizcilik, were ordered to remain in custody for a further seven days. They are scheduled to appear in court again on September 25.

Evidence and captain’s licence

Police told the court last week that video footage had been obtained showing “signs of fractures on the boat” in the minutes before it capsized.

Police had previously said that Oz bought his Honduran captain’s licence for $3,500. A police representative said Oz told investigators that he had initially obtained a licence in Turkey, but that it became invalid after he had not worked as a boat captain for 10 years.

When he sought to return to the profession, Oz contacted “some people in Greece” and obtained a Honduran licence using his former Turkish licence number after paying $3,500, the representative said.