While the search for the missing continued on Monday with ships and helicopters, the previous history of the ship, its technical condition and the evacuation process increasingly became the focus of the investigation.

Ship had already crashed twelve years ago

At a court hearing in Kyrenia/Girne on Monday, new details about the past of the "Filo Jet" became known.

According to a police representative, the ship was involved in an accident about twelve years ago. It was then repaired in Turkey. The current operator Filo Denizcilik is said to have taken over the ship in 2024.

Turkish media also report that the catamaran was built in France in 2000 and was originally operated under the name "Iris Jet".

The ship can thus look back on a history of around 26 years.

Turkish media also report financial and legal difficulties of previous operators and that the ship is said to have been temporarily detained or confiscated.

Whether and in what connection earlier damage or repairs could be related to Sunday's accident has not yet been clarified and is the subject of further investigations.

Classified as seaworthy only in June 2026

It is particularly explosive that, according to previous information, the "Filo Jet" had only been technically inspected a few weeks before the accident. The Istanbul-based classification society Türk Loydu is said to have examined the ship in June 2026 and classified it as seaworthy.

According to the Turkish Cypriot weather service, the weather conditions were also suitable for a crossing before sailing.

In court, the police also explained that the ferry was technically designed for wave heights of up to three meters and that the permissible passenger capacity had not been exceeded.

This raises one of the crucial questions:

There is no conclusive technical answer to this so far.

Problems with the evacuation

focus of the investigations is now also on the evacuation process.

According to the police, there were enough life jackets on board. However, the crew was not sufficiently informed about their exact number and storage locations.

According to the investigators, this made the evacuation more difficult.

The defense attorney explained in court that there were also four life rafts on board. Each of them is said to have been designed for up to 100 people.

Theoretically, this would have provided life raft capacity for 400 people - significantly more than the total of 267 people on board.

The investigators must therefore now clarify, among other things, whether the life rafts were used properly and in time and why the available rescue equipment was apparently not sufficient to bring all people safely off the ship.

Survivors described dramatic minutes on board to the media.

Various reports speak of penetrating water, unusual noises and a violent impact. Within a short time, the situation on board is said to have deteriorated massively.

Passengers had to try to reach life jackets and leave the capsizing ship.

Which of these observations are directly related to the cause of the accident must be shown by the technical investigations.

Captain and crew members arrested

After the sinking, a total of several people were arrested.

On Monday, 14 defendants appeared before the Turkish Cypriot District Court in Kyrenia/Girne.

According to information from the court proceedings, the captain and members of the crew, among others, were arrested on suspicion of having caused the deaths of people through reckless or negligent behavior.

Several suspects were initially taken into custody or pre-trial detention for further investigations.

Criminal responsibility has not yet been established. The presumption of innocence applies to all defendants.

Search for missing continues

On Monday, ships and helicopters were still in operation off the coast of Kyrenia/Girne.

The extensive helicopter missions even had an impact on air traffic over Cyprus. Aircraft from Ercan/Tymbou Airport had to deviate from their usual route north via Kyrenia in some cases and flew over the southern part of Nicosia instead. At the

port of Kyrenia, relatives were also waiting for news about the people still missing.

Some families criticized the flow of information from the authorities in particular to the media and demanded faster and more reliable information.

Government promises full clarification

Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Ünal Üstel announced a comprehensive investigation into the disaster.

Every aspect of the accident should be investigated and even the slightest possible negligence should be uncovered.

In addition to the immediate cause of the accident, the technical condition of the ferry, previous damage and repairs as well as the safety and evacuation measures on board are likely to be investigated.

The investigations are still in their infancy. The following points in particular need to be clarified:

Only the evaluation of witness statements, technical documents and investigations of the wreck should provide a complete picture of the disaster.

Investigations and search continue

The ferry accident of August 30, 2026 off Kyrenia/Girne is already one of the worst shipping accidents in Cyprus' recent history.

While rescue workers continue to search for missing persons, pressure is growing on authorities, operators and testing organizations to fully disclose the causes of the accident.

In particular, the history of the "Filo Jet", the earlier accident, the technical inspection that only took place in June and possible problems with the evacuation are likely to play a central role in the coming days.