Stelios Foundation to allocate €280,000 to families of those killed and missing in the Filo Jet disaster

The Stelios Foundation has opened online applications for urgent financial assistance for the families of those killed and missing in the sinking of the Filo Jet ferry four miles off the coast of Northern Cyprus. Total payments will amount to up to €280,000: each family will receive €10,000.

Applications are being accepted through a dedicated online form: relatives provide personal details and attach supporting documents, after which the application is submitted for review. The application process has already begun — relatives of those killed and missing have started submitting information through the platform.

Payments are intended for 28 families. Spouses, children and parents of those who died or remain missing are eligible to receive the money, regardless of citizenship.

The Filo Jet ferry capsized and sank while travelling from Girne to Taşucu. The search has entered its ninth day: rescuers are working at a depth of about 554 m, and 14 people are still listed as missing.

The foundation was established by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the creator and owner of the easy brand group. “Peace and solidarity have always been enduring values for us, especially in Cyprus, where my father and mother were born,” he said, noting that the foundation does not distinguish between those affected based on nationality.

The foundation previously assisted the families of those killed in the 2011 explosion in Mari, Cyprus, relatives of the victims of serial killer Metaxas in 2019, the families of those killed in the 2018 fires in Mati, Greece, and those affected by the 2023 railway disaster in Tempi. Haji-Ioannou expressed hope that the payments would at least partly ease the grief of the 28 families and help advance lasting peace in Cyprus.