Court proceedings have commenced in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) regarding the passenger ferry disaster that capsized off the coast of Kyrenia, resulting in eight fatalities. Nine individuals—comprising the captain, seven crew members (including Azerbaijani citizens Valeh Hummatov and Rashad Ibrahimov), and one company employee—were brought before the Kyrenia District Court.
Sea-news.az reports this, citing the Anadolu agency.
During the hearing, the judge demanded that seven other individuals sought under charges of “causing death by negligence” also be brought before the court, announcing that the judicial session will continue thereafter.
In their testimony, the captain and crew members claimed that the accident occurred when the force of the waves tore off the vessel’s bow section, causing it to capsize. They asserted that weather reports indicated no issues at the time of departure, and that the ship’s certification included all necessary navigation and operational permits.
The court has ordered the collection of technical data, the interrogation of witnesses, an inquiry into whether an investigation into the matter has been opened in Turkey, and the completion of other necessary documentation.
As previously reported, Azerbaijani citizens Valeh Hummatov and Rashad Ibrahimov were among the crew of the sunken “FiloJet” ferry and were successfully rescued following the tragedy.
