Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz held a press conference after his contacts in TRNC, where he came to pay a condolence visit after the ship disaster that occurred off the coast of Kyrenia. At the joint press conference held with TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel at Ercan Airport, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan conveyed his greetings and condolences to the Turkish Cypriot people. Vice President Yılmaz stated that, as the Republic of Türkiye, they followed the developments closely and mobilized all means from the first moment of the accident. Yılmaz said, "As part of today's visit, we had the opportunity to meet with the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Mr. Tufan Erhürman, and make evaluations about the disaster and the work carried out. We received detailed information from the officials of the relevant institutions about the current status of search and rescue activities and the efforts to shed light on the tragic accident."
Stating that they came together with the families of the missing, Yılmaz said, "We had the opportunity to listen to their expectations, the points they expressed and their suggestions. The fire burns the place where it falls, they experience the greatest pain. This incident deeply saddens us all. I wish patience to the families once again and I would like to express that we will always be with them. Is there a deep pain and reason for losing their loved ones? In the meetings we held with our families who carry the heavy burden of waiting for news from their loved ones, we wholeheartedly share their pain and as the Republic of Turkey in this difficult process "We expressed that we, as the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, are always with them," he said.
"A LARGE SCALE SEARCH AND RESCUE ACTIVITY IS STILL CONTINUED ON A 7 DAYS 24 HOURS BASIS"
Sharing the figures regarding the disaster, Yılmaz said, "Unfortunately, the passenger ship Filojet, which moved from Kyrenia to Mersin Taşucu on August 30, capsized off the coast of Kyrenia with 259 passengers and 8 crew members. 239 people on the ship were rescued alive, 9 of our brothers lost their lives. A large-scale search and rescue operation was initiated on a 24/7 basis to reach our 19 missing citizens and is still ongoing."
Stating that there was a new development in the search work today, Yılmaz said that Naval Forces Commander Ercüment Tatlıoğlu personally coordinated the work and said, "As of today, we have received another news. Today, our Naval Forces Commander Ercüment Bey was on the ships here to personally coordinate the work. We have learned that the body of another person was found and taken up. This will be shared with the public after the identification is made in accordance with the administrative procedures. Whose body was found in this way. "I would like to state that the number has increased to 10," he said.
"CURRENTLY THERE ARE ONLY 2 PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITALS"
Underlining that progress has been made in the search and rescue efforts, Yılmaz said, "On the other hand, it has been understood that other bodies will be found as a result of these intense efforts. The relevant institutions will share the developments regarding this with the public when these studies are completed meticulously. However, today I can easily state that progress has been made. In this context, I would like to express my gratitude to our Naval Forces Commander and all the officials who contributed to these developments."
Providing information about the health conditions of the passengers who were rescued alive, Yılmaz said, "On the other hand, we have learned that the treatment of 131 of our passengers who were rescued alive was completed and discharged. Currently, there are only 2 patients in hospitals. One of them was in intensive care, but has been removed from intensive care. As of now, the information we have received is that neither of our 2 patients is in a life-threatening situation. Our Deputy Minister of Health personally visited them and received detailed information about their condition."
"THE LOCATION OF THE WRENCH WAS DETECTED THROUGH THE SCANNINGS CARRIED OUT WITH TCG IŞIN'S ADVANCED SONAR SYSTEM"
Stating that strong coordination was achieved with the TRNC authorities following the notices, Cevdet Yılmaz said that all of Turkey's resources were directed to the region for search and rescue activities. Stating that the relevant institutions, especially the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense and Internal Affairs, acted in full coordination with the TRNC authorities, Yılmaz said, "Immediately after receiving the notice, a strong coordination was established with the TRNC authorities. All the resources of our state were mobilized and directed to the region for search and rescue activities. The danger phase was declared by the search and rescue coordination center. All our relevant institutions, especially our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of National Defense and Ministry of Internal Affairs, took action in full coordination and cooperation with the TRNC authorities." used.
"THE REPUBLIC OF Türkiye AND THE TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTH CYPRUS HAVE WORKED VERY CLOSELY"
Thanking TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel and his team, Vice President Yılmaz said, "The Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus worked very closely on this issue day and night. They also worked very closely to meet our responsibilities. They acted responsibly and all efforts were made to carry out these works in a very strong way. I would like to thank everyone who contributed, especially the Prime Minister."
Providing information about the elements participating in the search and rescue operations, Yılmaz said, "Our coast guard command supports the operations in which the TRNC Security Forces Command participates with four ships, with three ships, a helicopter, diving teams and sonar system, and the TRNC Security Forces Command with four ships, a helicopter, diving teams and sonar system. The operation, in which our Naval Forces take part with eight ships and three unmanned aerial vehicles, and our air force with one helicopter and one unmanned aerial vehicle, is carried out on a 24-hour basis."
Stating that the tugboats and diving teams of the Cyprus Coastal Police, as well as private boats and fishing boats also supported the work, Yılmaz thanked the volunteers and said, "The location of the shipwreck was determined with the scans carried out by TCG Işın's advanced sonar system, and TCG Alemdar participated in the search activities carried out in and around the shipwreck with a remote-controlled underwater vehicle. As a result of these studies, the wreckage of the ship, which was located at a depth of approximately five hundred and fifty meters, was reached and detailed imaging and search activities were initiated around the shipwreck. As a matter of fact, "As I just mentioned, we started to see the results of this," he said.
"OUR CITIZENS WHO NEEDED TO BE EVACUATED BY AMBULANCE PLANE WERE TRANSPORTED"
Stating that the identification work has begun on the body found yesterday as a result of the search and rescue efforts, Yılmaz said, "The transportation of our citizens who needed to be evacuated by ambulance plane was carried out, the treatment processes of our patients were closely followed, and the necessary support was provided to our families in the transfer of the bodies of our deceased brothers. Necessary coordination was established with our relevant governorships to welcome our citizens and their relatives returning to our country and deliver them to their provinces. On the other hand, we received information from the officials of the relevant institutions about the occurrence of the accident, the activities in the field and the investigations carried out. We have just received information." "As our Prime Minister has stated, and our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has clearly underlined, all necessary investigations will be carried out on this issue, with the cooperation of the TRNC and the Republic of Turkey authorities, and whatever is necessary is being done and will continue to be done to ensure that whoever is negligent or responsible is held accountable before the law," he said.
"THE WHOLE PROCESS WILL BE METICULOUSLY EXAMINED, DUE TO ALL QUESTIONS"
Stating that the entire process will be examined, from the ship's sailing conditions to its technical competence and inspection records, from the attitude of the crew to the decisions of the relevant institutions, Yılmaz said, "The whole process, from the conditions under which the ship sailed, technical competence and inspection records, from the attitude of the crew to the determination of the relevant institutions, to all questions, will be examined meticulously. As the Republic of Turkey, we will provide all the necessary technical and institutional support for the healthy completion of the judicial, administrative and technical investigation initiated by the TRNC authorities. The investigation into the accident will be continued with great care, and negligence in the disaster occurred." "If those who are at fault are identified, I believe that the steps required by law will be taken decisively," he said.
Stating that the findings that will emerge as a result of the investigation are important in preventing similar tragedies in the future, Yılmaz said, "We have three important steps and tasks before us. The first is to continue these search and rescue efforts intensively, the second is to hold accountable those responsible, the third is to eliminate possible deficiencies in the system and take the necessary precautions in order to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future. Cyprus and Motherland Turkey have faced every difficulty they have encountered from past to present, shoulder to shoulder, this unshakable brotherhood and solidarity on the field in such difficult days." "As the Prime Minister has just stated, we are together in both joy and sorrow, we are together in difficult times and in difficult times, and we will continue to be so," he said.
"WE WILL OFFER ALL NECESSARY TECHNICAL AND CORPORATE SUPPORT"
Stating that the pain experienced in Kyrenia was felt throughout Turkey, Yılmaz said, "Today, I can once again share this as information. We have a legal assistance agreement between Cyprus and Turkey. In this context, as of today, there is a request submitted by the Cyprus Judiciary to our Ministry of Justice on this issue. In this context, our Ministry of Justice will provide all the necessary technical support. The preparations on this issue will be completed as soon as possible and the necessary technical support will be provided to the investigation process."
At the end of his speech, Yılmaz expressed his condolences to those who lost their lives, their families and the Turkish Cypriot people, and said, "I express once again that intense efforts will continue for the missing passengers. I would like to wholeheartedly thank all our search and rescue teams who served in this process with great sacrifice, all individuals and institutions who made efforts and contributed in other fields, and all those who contributed from the TRNC and the Republic of Turkey. I express my gratitude. I respectfully greet you all once again."
