Turkish specialists to investigate Kyrenia ferry sinking as nine suspects remain in custody
A court heard that specialists from Turkey will investigate the August ferry sinking off Kyrenia, which killed 27 people and left a three-year-old passenger missing.
Kyrenia, Cyprus. Specialists from Turkey will travel to Cyprus to investigate the August sinking of a passenger ferry off Kyrenia, a court heard on Friday. According to newspaper Yeniduzen, a separate specialist from a Turkish university will also examine the incident.
Investigators examine wreckage and recordings
Yeniduzen reported that the plans were outlined at the latest hearing involving nine people arrested following the sinking. The court also heard that a naval engineer had inspected wreckage recovered from the sea or washed ashore and had made observations based on that examination.
The court was told that the review of the ferry’s black box recordings was continuing, with 32 days of material examined and another 34 days still awaiting review.
Evidence presented on Friday included recorded discussions in which crew members raised the possibility that the vessel could sink. The court also heard that, during an earlier voyage, some passengers had gone into the captain’s cabin and requested a return to port because the boat’s condition frightened them.
Nine suspects undergo psychiatric assessments
According to the hearing, psychiatric evaluations have now been completed for all nine suspects at the Baris mental and nervous diseases hospital in Nicosia. Reports on their mental condition will be submitted.
The suspects are captain Mustafa Oz, seven fellow crew members and a director of Filo Denizcilik, the company operating the ferry.
At the close of Friday’s hearing, the court ordered all nine to remain in custody for another seven days. Their next hearing is scheduled for October 30.
27 deaths confirmed, child still missing
The account of the disaster states that the ferry went down shortly after noon on August 30, having departed Kyrenia’s new port bound for Tasucu, Turkey. It was carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members.
The confirmed death toll stands at 27, while one passenger, three-year-old Anni Asel Hilaloglu, remains missing.
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