Sea services from Girne port suspended as search continues for Filo Jet’s black box

All sea services from Girne port have been suspended following the Filo Jet ferry disaster, while specialists are trying to find the vessel’s black box. This was reported by Erhan Arıklı, Minister of Public Works and Transport of the TRNC.

According to him, no sea services are currently operating from Girne. Filo Jet’s own services have been suspended separately, while ferries from the Turkish port of Taşucu to the TRNC have been cancelled.

The cause of the accident is expected to be established using data from the voyage data recorder. Arıklı explained that this device will show whether the vessel had a technical malfunction. In the event of sinking, the black box may have been automatically ejected, so it is being searched for both in the water and among the wreckage by the coast guard.

The press conference on the findings of the investigation has been postponed to a later date at the request of Prime Minister Ünal Üstel: the authorities intend to speak only on the basis of confirmed data. The police investigation is continuing.

The fate of 18 people remains unknown, and searches continued overnight. Forces assigned by the Turkish Naval Forces and search teams from the Turkish Coast Guard are operating in the area. Earlier reports said that 8 people had died; there were 267 people on board the Filo Jet.