On August 28, 2026, a maritime tragedy occurred off the coast of Kyrenia. Following this incident, the search and rescue ship TCG Işın quickly began operations to locate the sunken ferry boat, Filo Jet. President Tufan Erhürman, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, and Turkey’s Ambassador to Nicosia, Ali Murat Başçeri, also participated on-site to oversee the efforts.
Search Operations Underway
TCG Işın commenced search operations at 09:00 following the incident. Using advanced imaging and sonar systems onboard, efforts are underway to detect the wreck on the seabed. Should any signals be received, a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) will be deployed to dive and assess whether the identified object is indeed a wreck.
Marine Colonel Ulaş Cesur emphasized their goal of identifying the location of the wreck believed to be that of Filo Jet. He noted that once the sunken vessel is located, rescue operations will commence immediately.
TCG Işın and TCG Alemdar
TCG Işın, part of the Turkish Navy’s fleet, is a 68-meter long and 14-meter wide ship that entered service in 2017. This vessel is equipped to conduct search and rescue operations at depths of up to 1000 meters. It also includes an Atmospheric Diving System capable of operating at depths of 365 meters and systems capable of diving up to 90 meters.
Today, TCG Alemdar is expected to arrive in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to join the search and rescue operations. This ship, with a length of 90 meters and a displacement capacity of 4200 tons, is also an important asset for underwater rescue missions. TCG Alemdar is known to be equipped with rescue systems that can operate at depths of up to 600 meters.
President Tufan Erhürman, Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, and Ambassador Ali Murat Başçeri reviewed operations aboard TCG Işın. Authorities stated that search and rescue efforts continued uninterrupted on the third day, expressing that reaching the missing individuals remains a top priority.
Status of Missing Passengers
Filo Jet began taking on water after departing from Kyrenia Harbor on Sunday, August 30. The vessel capsized and sank while attempting to return to the harbor. During the incident, 241 passengers survived, while the bodies of 8 individuals have been recovered. Search efforts for the remaining 20 missing persons are ongoing both on the surface and underwater.
Once the location of the wreck on the seabed is confirmed, the goal is to visualize and inspect the wreck using the ROV and other underwater systems. Such detailed examinations will be crucial for the progress of the rescue operations and in assessing the situation of the missing persons.
Source: www.diyaloggazetesi.com
