Chain of negligence in tragic Kyrenia ship accident brought to Parliament

The FİLO JET passenger ship disaster off the coast of Kyrenia, which has shaken Turkey's agenda, has also become a subject of debate in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM). EMEP Gaziantep MP Sevda Karaca argued that the accident was not merely a maritime incident, but the result of a chain of serious oversight failures and administrative negligence. Karaca submitted a comprehensive parliamentary question to be answered by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.

Emphasizing that attempts were being made to cover up administrative, political, and commercial connections in the incident, Karaca listed her questions to ensure that those responsible are identified and the process is conducted transparently following the deaths of eight people in the accident.

Attention was drawn to the fact that the technical problems and previous accidents experienced by the catamaran-type ship, built in France in 2000, were not sufficiently investigated after it arrived in Turkey. Karaca stated that the FİLO JET was previously forced into service at Taşucu Port without undergoing repairs and subsequently remained under seizure for a long time. It was noted that during an acquisition attempt by the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality in 2018, an inspection by Türk Loydu identified a total of 29 serious defects, ranging from smoke in the main engine to deficiencies in the hull and stability.

It was further stated that because these deficiencies were not addressed, the sale was taken to court; however, with the transfer of the ship to Filo Denizcilik, claims were made that it had been "completely renovated." It was pointed out that no official documents or reports regarding where this renovation took place or under what standards have been shared with the public, and that the process was conducted without transparency. Furthermore, it was emphasized that the details of the ship's sale and financing were also controversial, with the company defending the 2018 purchase while court documents indicated 2024.

Karaca also demanded clarification on who granted permission for Filo Denizcilik to operate on the same route, and based on what criteria, while Hatay Sea Buses (HADO) were denied route permits departing from Taşucu. Allegations were also raised that the STCW certificates required for international voyages held by the ship's captain, Vefa İnesi, had expired and that there were serious irregularities in these documents.

Highlighting that the FİLO JET was initially denied permission to depart on the day of the accident due to weather conditions, only to be allowed to sail an hour later, Karaca demanded answers to questions such as: "Why is a report confirming that the 29 technical defects were resolved not being disclosed? Why was the ship's captain allowed to set sail without his documents being verified? Were there political and bureaucratic influences in the distribution of commercial route permits? How is the company's record of irresponsibility toward passengers being monitored?"

The primary questions Karaca directed to Minister Uraloğlu are as follows:

• At which shipyard, under what conditions, and when were the technical non-conformities identified in 2018 resolved, and why are current inspection reports not being shared with the public?
• Are the captain's certificates and qualifications issued by Mozambican authorities internationally valid?
• Why were HADO's route permits rejected, and on what grounds was Filo Denizcilik approved to operate on the same route?
• Who gave the order for the ship to depart on August 30 despite poor weather conditions?
• Will the investigation be limited only to the port and crew, or will it include company partners and ministry bureaucrats?
• Has safety been compromised in passenger transport, and what urgent measures does the ministry plan to take in this area?