Ninth ferry disaster victim identified off Kyrenia
Ismail Kurt has been identified as the ninth victim of the ferry disaster off the coast of Kyrenia in Cyprus. He was one of two Cypriots considered missing after the accident, Cyprus Mail reports.
Searches at a depth of 550 metres
The search-and-rescue operation continued on the morning of September 3. Turkish deep-sea rescue vessels TCG Isin and TCG Alemdar, as well as air and maritime assets, were involved. Rescuers have been working in the disaster area for the fifth consecutive day, attempting to find 19 people who are still considered missing.
Turkish Cypriot “prime minister” Unal Ustel said on the evening of September 2 that the operation would continue around the clock. According to him, visibility is very limited at the depth of 550 metres where the sunken ferry lies. Asked whether rescuers had seen other bodies, Ustel replied that there had been no other findings so far.
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Circumstances of the disaster and personnel decision
The ferry capsized and sank within minutes after departing the new port of Kyrenia shortly after noon on Sunday. There were 259 passengers and eight crew members on board. The Turkish Cypriot “ministry of health” had previously reported that three people who reached shore alive after the accident remain in hospital.
Ustel announced the removal of Erhan Arikli from the post of “transport minister” amid an investigation into the causes of the accident. He said that no “shadow of suspicion” must be allowed during the investigation, while stressing that dismissed officials cannot be considered guilty until a court ruling.
Arikli called the decision to remove him unethical. The central administrative council of his YDP party supported a proposal to withdraw support for the ruling coalition. The decision was expected to be approved later on September 3 by the party body authorized to make such decisions.
