Filo Jet ferry sinks near Kyrenia: 13 dead, 15 missing
The Turkish ferry Filo Jet, which was heading to Turkey, sank near Kyrenia in Cyprus. There were more than 200 people on board: most passengers were rescued, but 13 people died and another 15 are missing, Cyprus Mail reports.
The vessel capsized and sank on August 30, about three miles from Kyrenia. According to the publication, the captain and crew members were detained on suspicion of criminal negligence.
Call for a public inquiry
The author of the Cyprus Mail article argues that criminal prosecution of the crew alone is insufficient and calls for an open inquiry led by a judge. In the author's view, this format should establish not only the immediate circumstances of the disaster but also possible systemic problems in management, oversight, staff training and safety culture.
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The author compares the proposed format with British inquiries into the 1987 Herald of Free Enterprise ferry disaster and the 1989 Marchioness vessel disaster. The publication also notes that an effective investigation into deaths is linked to the state's duty to protect the right to life and ensure the safety of maritime transport.
Death near Cape Greco
A day before the Filo Jet disaster, it became known that Dimis Mavropoulos from Limassol had died after his boat got into trouble near Cape Greco. A post-mortem examination established that the cause of death was drowning. A coroner's inquest is to be held in this case because the death was not natural.
The article also mentions that the sea near Cape Greco has long been considered dangerous for seafarers. In 1959, brothers Pavlos and Yannis Vassiliades, aged 22 and 18, disappeared there while sailing. Their sailboat was found, but the brothers' bodies were never recovered.
