02.09.2026 18:40
Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) Ünal Üstel stated that as a result of the ongoing efforts to reach 20 people who went missing after a passenger ship capsized off the coast of Kyrenia on Sunday, the shipwreck and the lifeless body of one person were reached, saying, 'We expect the efforts to reach a point towards the evening.'
The Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Ünal Üstel, visited the relatives of the missing waiting in front of Girne Harbor and made a statement to the press after conveying the latest developments in the search and rescue efforts.
FOUND AT 550 METERS DEPTH
Stating that a point was determined as a result of the work carried out yesterday by the first ship sent by Turkey, Üstel said that the wreck of the passenger ship was identified with the participation of the "TCG Alemdar", which arrived in the region today.
Stating that the ship was found at a depth of approximately 550 meters, Üstel emphasized that imaging work around the ship with robots continues under all conditions.
Prime Minister Üstel stressed that due to the depth, imaging and search and rescue efforts are continuing under very difficult conditions, and that the work is continuing with the great dedication of the teams.
THE BODY OF A MISSING PERSON WAS REACHED
Üstel also reported that the lifeless body of a missing person was reached, and stated that they would continue to inform the relatives of the missing and the public, saying, "We expect the efforts to reach a point towards the evening."
Üstel noted that the pain experienced by the missing families is the pain of the entire society and that they feel it deeply, saying, "Our pain is great. Our pain is difficult to describe. The pain of the families is our pain, their pain is the pain of us all."
THE SHIP THAT CAPSIZED OFF GIRNE
The high-speed passenger ship named "Filo Jet", operating on the route between Girne Harbor in the TRNC and Taşucu Harbor in Mersin, started taking water from its front section shortly after departing from Girne around noon on Sunday.
From the ship, which capsized while trying to return to Girne Harbor, 241 people were rescued, the bodies of 8 people were reached, and a search operation was initiated for 20 missing people.