01.09.2026 12:20
Following the ship disaster off the coast of Kyrenia, it was claimed that the ship captain did not have a competency certificate. Sinan Burhan, President of the Turkish Press Federation, asked the TRNC Minister of Transport, Arıklı, about this claim. Minister Arıklı stated that the claim did not reflect the truth, noting that the captain had 25 years of experience and valid documents, and that the ship had been inspected by the Mediterranean Shipyard and Türk Loydu approximately three months ago and had been given a soundness report.
It was claimed that the captain's qualification certificate was not valid after the sinking of the catamaran belonging to Filo Jet, which was operating the Girne-Taşucu route in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
CRITICAL QUESTIONS TO TRNC MINISTER
Sinan Burhan, journalist, Editor-in-Chief of Millet News Agency and President of the Turkey Press Federation, asked these claims to Erhan Arıklı, the TRNC Minister of Public Works and Transport.
Burhan directed the questions "Is the ship sound?" and "Does the captain have a certificate?" to the TRNC Minister of Transport.
"WRONG INFORMATION WAS SPREAD"
Minister of Public Works and Transport Erhan Arıklı, in his statement to Sinan Burhan, said that some incorrect information about the accident was spread in the Turkish media.
Arıklı stated that the claim "the captain with 25 years of experience has no certificate" does not reflect the truth, and that the captain has 25 years of experience and valid documents.
"'SOUND REPORT' WAS GIVEN FOR THE SHIP"
Arıklı also stated that the ship was inspected by Akdeniz Shipyard and Turkish Lloyd approximately three months ago and was given a sound report.
Arıklı, noting that the accident may have occurred due to a hard inflatable boat hitting the ship or the overlapping of two waves, referred to as a "rogue wave," said that the exact cause will emerge after the search operations are completed.
"WHEN THE WRECK IS REACHED, HOW THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WILL BECOME CLEAR"
Arıklı, stating that the ship sent to the region from Turkey can search up to a depth of 500 meters, expressed that if the wreck is reached, how the accident occurred will become clear. He announced that the missing have not been reached yet, and the rescued have been handed over to their families.
Arıklı also stated that the VDR device (the ship's black box) is being searched at a depth of 500 meters with the ship coming from Turkey, and said that if this device is reached, how the accident occurred will largely come to light.