Mother tells how daughter slipped away in north Cyprus ferry disaster

Ayten Bicer experienced the terrifying moment when her 12-year-old daughter, Miray, slipped out of her grasp during a ferry disaster in northern Cyprus on Sunday. The double-hulled ferry, carrying 267 people, capsized off the port city of Kyrenia, leading to at least eight deaths and 6 survivors. Miray and her 6-year-old brother, Mehmet Asaf, were among the missing as of Monday.

Ayten recounted, "Don't let go," before the ferry tilted and Miray slipped away from her mother's hands, her shoes coated in engine oil from the overturned vessel. The mother managed to hold onto Miray's foot, but her slippery shoes slipped through her grasp. The disaster occurred as severe storms battered Cyprus, making the seas rough.

Debris, including a black suitcase and a piece of steel, remained scattered on the water. Ayten's husband, Hayri, described the suddenness of the tragedy, saying, "We couldn't intervene. We lost our children." Turkish divers were assisting the search, while the captain and crew of the ferry were detained for questioning.