Deep-sea ship Optimus Prime arrives off Kyrenia to aid ferry disaster recovery efforts
The deep-sea research vessel Optimus Prime has arrived off the coast of Kyrenia to assist in recovering 14 people still missing after a passenger ferry sank near the town last month. Commissioned by the Turkish government, the private ship will join the Turkish naval vessels TCG Isin and TCG Alemdar in searching the wreckage at a depth of 554 metres.
Turkish Cypriot ‘prime minister’ Unal Ustel emphasized the importance of the new vessel's technical capabilities to access interior sections of the sunken ferry and expressed confidence in achieving results. Despite the difficulty of underwater searches, operations continue around the clock by sea, land, and air. Since the disaster on August 30, 14 bodies have been recovered, but none after September 6.
All eight crew members, including captain Mustafa Oz, remain in custody, with investigations ongoing. The captain reportedly obtained a questionable Honduran captain’s licence after his Turkish one became invalid. The tragedy led to the removal of the Turkish Cypriot ‘transport minister’, replaced by former ‘prime minister’ Faiz Sucuoglu.
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