Search continues for 18 passengers after a ferry capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday. The vessel, carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members, began taking on water soon after departing from Kyrenia in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic on Cyprus.
Local authorities say eight people have been confirmed dead, while 19 are currently being treated at hospitals in northern Cyprus. On Monday, the ship's captain, seven crew members, and another man were arrested, and warrants have been issued for seven more people.
Ünal Üstel, Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), which is only recognized by Turkey, declared three days of national mourning. Officials say the boat has completely sunk and lies at a depth of 514 meters.
Debris remains scattered across the water, including a black wheelie suitcase and a sheet of steel that broke away from the ferry. Authorities are attempting to recover the vessel's black box recorder to determine what happened.
The privately owned ferry left Kyrenia at about 12:30 (09:30 GMT) en route to Tasucu, Turkey. It had been scheduled to travel on Saturday but was delayed due to poor weather.
Üstel told local media that the boat was hit by two waves before capsizing. While the captain was trying to recover from the first wave, a second wave hit and the vessel began taking on water.
Among the missing are Ayten Bicer's two children: 12-year-old daughter Miray and six-year-old son Mehmet Asaf. She told local media that Miray slipped from her hands as they clung to the overturned boat. "She was saying, 'Don't let go'. And I didn't let go of my daughter. I swear, I didn't let her go," Bicer said. She said a suitcase fell on her, forcing her daughter from her grip. She managed to grab her daughter's foot, but her shoes were coated in engine oil and she slipped away.
She and her husband, Hayri, are at the port in Kyrenia with other families awaiting news. The ferry, a high-speed 40m long, 10m wide Filo Jet vessel, sails under the flag of Turkey, according to Marine Traffic.
Filo Denizcilik, the company operating the capsized boat, said it was "deeply saddened by the tragic accident." The TRNC controls the northern third of Cyprus, which has been divided since 1974.