Eight Killed, 20 Missing After Ferry Capsizes off Northern Cyprus

Eight people have died and 20 remain missing after a ferry travelling from northern Cyprus to Turkey capsized off the coast on Sunday. Among those still unaccounted for are 12-year-old Miray and her six-year-old brother Memhet Asaf, whose parents survived the disaster.

Their mother, Ayten Bicer, described the heartbreaking moment she lost her daughter as the vessel overturned. She said Miray repeatedly pleaded with her not to let go, but a suitcase struck her and forced the child from her grasp. Bicer managed to hold her daughter’s foot briefly, but the vessel’s engine oil made everything slippery and she lost her grip.

Bicer and her husband, Hayri, were among the survivors rescued from the ferry and are now waiting at the port for news as rescue teams continue searching for those missing. The family had been returning to Turkey after spending a holiday on the Mediterranean island.

Hayri Bicer expressed his devastation over the loss of his children, saying the family had been unable to save them. “Two of my three children are gone,” he said, describing the anguish of leaving the island while rescue efforts for their missing loved ones continue.