Filo Jet was repaired with silicone before the disaster off Cyprus

The damaged section of the hull of a passenger ship that sank off the coast of Cyprus was repaired using silicone before the tragedy, as follows from the court case materials, ODA TV reported on Saturday.

The passenger catamaran Filo Jet, traveling from Girne on the northern coast of Cyprus to Turkish Tasuca, began to take on water shortly after leaving the port on August 30 and capsized. There were 267 people on board - 259 passengers and eight crew members. As a result of the disaster, according to the latest data, 15 people were killed, another 13 are listed as missing.

“The damaged area of ​​the left bow of the ship was repaired in the port of Girne by crew members on the orders of the captain using silicone, after which the repair area was painted over,” the TV channel reports, citing court materials.

According to the materials presented to the court, experts indicated that the damage required repair at the dock with the involvement of qualified specialists.

The investigation also examined photographs and WhatsApp messages, which allegedly confirm the damage and repair work carried out.

As part of the investigation, the captain, crew members and company employees were detained; the court extended the terms of their detention.

The investigation is also studying the history of the ship itself. The catamaran was built in 2000 in France and was previously operated under the name Iris Jet. It collided with the Tashuju pier in 2003 and continued to operate despite problems with damage and water ingress, according to court documents.