ISTANBUL: Two Turkish vessels equipped with deep-diving drones reached a passenger ferry that capsized off Cyprus, officials said on Wednesday, continuing efforts to find 20 people still missing from the accident. "They reached the (sunken) vessel," Tufan Erhurman, president of the breakaway republic, said. "Survey and search operations are continuing on a 24-hour basis and will continue without interruption," he added, confirming that a second specialist vessel, the Alemdar, had joined the underwater search operation.
Northern Cyprus prime minister Unal Ustel said all of the missing were believed to be on the FiloJet ferry, which is lying at a depth of 550 metres. "Search operations continue for the 20 missing individuals who we believe are on the ship," he told reporters at Kyrenia port, known in Turkish as Girne, saying he hoped they would have clearer information by the evening.
His words came as two more of the dead were reportedly buried in the Turkish port city of Mersin as northern Cyprus observed a third day of national mourning. Police detained the ferry's captain and 15 others, nine of whom appeared in court in Kyrenia on Monday charged with negligent homicide. — AFP
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