'She slipped out of my hand' - couple's children missing after ferry capsizes
Ayten and Hayri Bicer's two young children are among 20 missing in an incident that killed eight.
Ayten Bicer's 12-year-old daughter Miray slipped from her grasp during the capsize of a ferry off the coast of northern Cyprus, leaving her six-year-old son Memhet Asaf also missing. The tragic incident occurred while the family was returning from a holiday on the Mediterranean island. Miray's mother, Ayten, and her husband Hayri managed to survive the disaster, but the vessel sank, taking 20 people with it.
The family's loss was compounded as only two of their three children survived. The ferry, carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members, was on its way to Turkey from Kyrenia, a coastal town in the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The incident happened as the ship was en route to its destination on Sunday, a day after it had been delayed due to severe storms.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the ferry jolted violently before slamming into the sea, its bow bursting open upon impact. The crew, including the captain, were arrested on Monday and will be detained for three days. The TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel stated that the double-hulled ferry was hit by two waves before it capsized. The family's missing relatives are currently being treated in hospitals in Northern Cyprus.
National mourning for the victims began on Monday, and a ship carrying search equipment is expected to arrive from Turkey on Tuesday.
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