Mother tells how daughter slipped away in north Cyprus ferry disaster

Ayten Bicer's daughter slipped from her grasp as a ferry capsized off the northern Cyprus coast, resulting in at least eight deaths. Miray, aged 12, and Mehmet Asaf, 6, were among the 20 people still missing as of Monday. Ayten clung to her daughter's foot, but slipped due to the oil-coated shoes on her hands. The double-hulled ferry, carrying 267 passengers, capsized approximately 500 meters (1,640 feet) deep in rough seas following severe storms in Cyprus.

Families gathered outside the port in Kyrenia, anxiously awaiting updates on their loved ones. Ayten's husband, Hayri, recounted the sudden and shocking events, expressing their loss and inability to save their children. Turkish divers are assisting in the search, with conflicting reports of 18 to 19 missing individuals. The captain and crew of the ferry have been detained for questioning.

Ayten, visibly shaken by her daughter's disappearance, described the slippery conditions on the vessel, emphasizing how she lost her daughter.