Türkiye provides support to families after Girne ferry disaster

Families waiting outside Girne Port for news of missing relatives have begun receiving psychosocial support from teams sent from Türkiye.

Seven personnel from the Ministry of Family and Social Services are working with officials from the Girne Social Services Department. The first team held individual meetings with passengers and relatives at the port, while other teams contacted relatives of passengers living in Türkiye.

The Filo Jet, a high-speed passenger vessel operating between Girne and Taşucu Port in Mersin, began taking on water from its bow shortly after leaving Girne around noon on Aug. 30. It sank as it tried to return to the port.

TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel said 267 passengers and crew members were aboard. Rescuers saved 239 people and recovered 13 bodies, while 15 people remained missing. Türkiye was supporting the search and rescue operation with seven helicopters, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, vessels and boats. SAT commandos and Turkish Naval Forces diving teams were also searching for missing passengers and recovering bodies from the sunken vessel.