Girne Court extends detention of nine suspects in Filo Jet crash case

Girne Court has extended by 8 days the detention of nine suspects in the case concerning the crash of the Filo Jet passenger catamaran off the coast of Girne. The vessel sank on 30 August, killing eight people.

Remaining in detention are the director of the shipping company, A. Ö., captain M. Ö., second captain M. S., chief engineer Z. Ö., second engineer M. G., and crew members S. E., K. K., V. H. and R. İ. They are charged with causing death through negligence and dereliction of duty.

Police told the court that the vessel had taken on water before and had already sustained damage when it set out on its final voyage: engine and steering malfunctions had been recorded before departure. Despite water entering the vessel, the captain continued at full speed, which police assessed as negligence.

The documents are a separate issue. The captain’s licence issued in Turkey had become invalid due to a ten-year interruption in service; only his certificate obtained under the Honduran flag was deemed valid. The vessel itself lacked two international certificates — for radio safety and stability.

According to police, the port of Taşucu was closed on the day of departure, and the captain decided to set out on the voyage on his own initiative. Investigators collected more than one hundred witness statements, and autopsies showed that all those who died had drowned. Among the injured is a six-year-old child who remains in hospital.