The Turkish port of Taşucu was closed because of heavy seas, and the decision to sail the Filo Jet was taken on the captain's own initiative, while the vessel was already carrying known engine and rudder faults and had taken on water on previous voyages. The details emerged on Thursday before the "district court" in Kyrenia, which extended the detention of nine suspects by a further eight days.
Those held are the director of the operating company, the captain, the first officer, the chief and second engineers, and four crew members, all facing charges of causing death by negligence. Their lawyers did not object to the request by the Turkish Cypriot "police", who argued that release could interfere with the investigation.
According to the evidence presented, the first officer said Taşucu had remained closed until 15:00 and that he had urged the captain not to sail. Both the captain and the first officer acknowledged in their statements that they were aware of the mechanical faults beforehand. Investigators told the court their initial assessment is that the vessel put to sea with existing damage — a finding supported by video footage and passenger testimony — and that the fresh ingress of water was not taken seriously precisely because it had happened before. Expert opinion cited in court held that the disaster could have been avoided had the voyage been aborted and the vessel returned to port at very low speed; the captain did not reduce speed.
The evidence on certification is equally damaging. The captain's Turkish licence had lapsed after a ten-year break from the profession. The certificate he was using was obtained from Honduras for roughly $3,500, subsequently registered in Greece and put through a recognition procedure in the occupied areas. The vessel itself was missing two international certificates, for radio safety and for stability. The Turkish classification society Türk Loydu was expected in the north on Thursday, among other things to verify the authenticity of the inspection documents.
Autopsies established that the victims drowned. Hundreds of statements have been taken, while toxicology results for the suspects are still pending.
Search operations entered their fifth day on Thursday with the toll standing at nine dead and 19 missing, after another body was recovered on Wednesday. The wreck lies at a depth of around 550 metres and work is proceeding around the clock using underwater robots, with the Turkish vessels TCG Işın and TCG Alemdar on site. A technical team from Turkey's maritime accident investigation directorate is preparing a preliminary report.
The disaster has already broken apart the coalition administration in the occupied areas. "Prime minister" Ünal Üstel dismissed "minister" of Public Works and Transport Erhan Arıklı, with the decision signed by the President of the unrecognized TRNC, Tufan Erhürman. Arıklı's Rebirth Party (YDP) then decided to withdraw from the three-way coalition with the National Unity Party (UBP) and the Democratic Party (DP). The decision is being submitted in writing on Thursday.
Survivor accounts have added to the public anger. One passenger described climbing over railings and seats to force open a jammed door, allowing some 50 people to escape, but said he failed to reach a small girl before the vessel pitched vertically. Two of his relatives remain missing.
Turkish Vice-President Cevdet Yılmaz was due in the occupied areas on Thursday for a visit of condolence.