Father mourns wife and missing daughter after Cyprus ferry disaster

Salim Hilaloğlu, 37, from Siverek district of Şanlıurfa, was traveling with his wife Nurcan, 36, and their children Miran Asaf, 6, and Anni Asel, 3, when the Filo Jet ferry sank off Kyrenia on August 30, 2026. Twenty-eight people died in the disaster, including Nurcan, while Anni Asel has been missing for 66 days.

Hilaloğlu rescued his son Miran Asaf from inside the sinking vessel. The boy suffered serious leg injuries and underwent surgery, with treatment continuing.

“I buried my wife. Her open grave is right next to her. Every day I look at that open grave and I am ashamed of myself.”

The father said he kept his children above him so they could breathe as the ship listed and water rose rapidly. He described the corridor as a hellhole after the ferry capsized.

Hilaloğlu buried his wife and prepared a grave beside her open grave for his missing daughter. He said he feels ashamed every time he looks at the open grave.

Speaking in Mersin with other victims' relatives, Hilaloğlu called on authorities to resume search operations for his daughter. He recalled that his wife's family lives in northern Cyprus and that the family often vacationed there.

The family had lived a happy and peaceful life before the trip, according to Hilaloğlu. He said the return journey turned into a nightmare and that his dreams sank with the ship.