Locating the wreck and missing people is the objective of the Turkish Navy’s search, rescue and support vessel TCG Işın, its commander, Major Ulaş Cesur, said.
According to reports from the occupied north, Cesur told journalists aboard the vessel that the crew had already begun searching for the location of the wreck on the seabed using specialised systems.
Once the wreck has been identified, rescue operations will begin at a depth of around 500 metres, including around and on the wreck, using a remotely operated underwater vehicle.
Advanced equipment for deep-sea operations
Cesur said the TCG Işın was a rescue vessel built entirely with domestic resources in Istanbul and commissioned in 2017.
The vessel is equipped with advanced search and rescue systems and specially trained divers.
According to the commander, it can conduct rescue operations using systems capable of reaching depths of up to 1,000 metres. It also has an atmospheric diving system capable of reaching 365 metres, while manned diving operations can be carried out at depths of up to 90 metres.
The TCG Işın carries out missions not only within the area referred to by Turkey as the “Blue Homeland”, but also participates in international exercises and missions.
Akıncı questions rising number of missing people
Meanwhile, former Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akıncı commented on the fact that the reported number of missing people has increased from 17 to 18 and now 20, rather than declining as the days pass.
“This alone is enough to show how unprepared we are for such situations. These are not simply numbers, they are lives,” Akıncı said in a post on Tuesday.
He said it was right to discuss the condition of the sunken vessel, the captain’s licence, the number of life jackets, the adequacy of inspections and the responsibilities of political figures.
Akıncı also questioned whether the disaster could have occurred if a Cyprus settlement had been reached and the island were operating within the framework of the EU and international law.
Throughout his political career, he said, his fundamental objective in advocating for a settlement, EU membership and international law had been for society to live under a rules-based system.
Despite the difficulties, he stressed that the main objective should remain a Cyprus settlement and EU membership.
He expressed his condolences to those who lost their lives and his sympathy to those left behind.
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