Two bodies found in TRNC ferry disaster search
14:55, 28/09/2026, MondayU: Update: 15:00, 28/09/2026, Monday
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File PhotoSearch teams have recovered two more bodies from the sunken Filo Jet off Girne in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, with DNA testing underway to identify them as the hunt continues for passengers still missing since the Aug. 30 sinking.
Two bodies were pulled from the sea Monday during the ongoing search for passengers missing since a ferry went down off Girne in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on Aug. 30.
Seabed search continues near wreck
According to a written statement from the TRNC Prime Ministry, underwater search operations are continuing roughly 1,000 meters (3,281 feet) from the wreck at a depth of 570 meters (1,870 feet). The statement said the bodies of two people were found during the seabed search and that DNA testing had begun to establish their identities. Their families will be informed once the DNA results are available, it added.
State vows to keep searching
"As the state, we will continue search operations until we reach our missing passengers. We once again ask God's mercy for those who lost their lives and wish patience and strength to the families of the missing," the statement said.
How the Filo Jet went down
The Filo Jet, a high-speed passenger ferry running between Girne Port in the TRNC and Tasucu Port in Mersin, started taking on water from its bow shortly after leaving Girne around noon on Aug. 30 and sank as it tried to return to port. Of the 267 passengers and crew aboard, 239 were rescued after the sinking, while 15 passengers were confirmed dead. The wreck was located at a depth of 554 meters (1,818 feet) off Girne. TRNC Prime Minister Unal Ustel announced on Sept. 19 that the body of another person previously listed as missing had been recovered, bringing the confirmed death toll at the time to 15 and reducing the number of missing passengers to 13.