New footage has captured the moments passengers on board the catamaran in Kyrenia experienced as the ship began taking on water before it overturned and sank.
At least eight people have died, while 18 remained missing as of Monday. Search and rescue operations are continuing in full force.
Meanwhile, the captain, seven crew members and a shareholder of the company operating the ferry were arrested and brought before a court on Monday, as authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding the disaster.
The ship, which was carrying a total of 267 people, capsized off Kyrenia in the occupied north, with survivors desperately trying to hold onto its overturned hull until help arrived.
Panic aboard the sinking ship
Video filmed from inside the ship captures the panic that took hold. Passengers can be seen trying to save themselves, with screams and desperate voices heard around them.
At one point, a man appears to have climbed onto the side of the ship, which has taken on a dangerous list, holding his phone to his ear and apparently calling for help. Around him, other passengers search for a way to escape.
Other footage shows the moments after the ship overturned, with people floating in the choppy water beside the half-submerged vessel. Some cling to each other, while others try to pull passengers out of the water. In another clip, a rescue helicopter can be seen flying over the area.
Girne feribotunun batma anı videosu
— Odatv (@odatv) August 31, 2026
İçinde 267 yolcusu bulunan Girne feribotunun alabora olmaya başladığı andan itibaren yaşanan can pazarı yolcular tarafından kayda alındı. pic.twitter.com/uIUZRHZmJ5
The mother whose daughter slipped from her hands
One of the accounts is that of Ayten Bicer, who described feeling her 12-year-old daughter, Miray, slip from her hands as the ship capsized.
Miray and her six-year-old brother, Mehmet Asaf, were among those still listed as missing on Monday. Rescue crews were searching a vast stretch of sea where the depth exceeds 500 metres.
“She kept telling me: ‘Don’t let go of me.’ And I didn’t let go of my daughter. I swear to you, I didn’t let go,” the mother said, sobbing.
However, a suitcase fell onto her, forcing her to lose her grip. Bicer managed to grab her daughter’s leg, but it slipped through her hands.
Passengers had warned that water was coming in
According to survivor testimony, problems became apparent shortly after the ferry left Kyrenia, just before 12pm on Sunday.
Passengers noticed the ship was taking on water and reportedly warned the captain and crew that they needed to turn back to port.
However, according to the same accounts, the ship continued on its route towards the Turkish port of Tasucu, despite passengers’ concerns and the difficult weather conditions.
Fearing for their lives, passengers began searching for life jackets. There, according to the accounts, they discovered there were not enough for everyone.
A short time later, a loud crack was heard from the bow. The ship began to capsize, and passengers desperately tried to abandon it, many without any flotation device.
