“DON’T LET GO”: HEARTBROKEN PARENTS REVEAL THE FINAL MOMENTS WITH THEIR TWO CHILDREN AS FERRY CAPSIZES OFF CYPRUS

A family vacation turned into an unimaginable nightmare when a ferry carrying hundreds of passengers suddenly capsized off the coast of northern Cyprus.

For Ayten and Hayri Bicer, the tragedy became even more devastating.

Their two children — 12-year-old Saliha and 6-year-old Mehmet — slipped from their parents’ grasp as the vessel overturned in rough seas.

Their 10-year-old son, Halil, survived.

But Saliha and Mehmet were among those who remained missing after the ferry disaster.

“DON’T LET GO”

Ayten described the desperate moments when she tried to hold on to her daughter as the ferry began to turn over.

She said Saliha pleaded with her not to let go.

Her mother insisted she never intentionally released her.

But in the chaos, a suitcase reportedly fell onto Saliha, breaking Ayten’s grip.

Ayten managed to grab her daughter’s foot, but the situation became even more difficult.

According to her account, diesel leaking from the vessel had made surfaces and passengers’ feet extremely slippery.

Despite desperately trying to hold on, she eventually lost her grip.

“I didn’t let go of my daughter,” Ayten said while recounting the heartbreaking moment.

A FAMILY TORN APART IN SECONDS

Hayri was also desperately trying to keep hold of his children.

But when the ferry overturned, the chaos became impossible to control.

He could not save Mehmet.

The couple eventually made it back to shore with their surviving son, Halil.

But they were left facing the devastating reality that two of their children were still missing.

“We lost our children,” Hayri said.

267 PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD

The double-hulled ferry was carrying approximately 267 people, including 259 passengers and eight crew members, when it encountered severe conditions off Kyrenia.

The vessel was traveling toward the Turkish mainland when it began taking on water.

It later overturned and sank.

Survivors were left clinging to the overturned hull while rescue crews raced toward the scene.

Earlier reports described passengers scrambling for life jackets as water entered the vessel, with some survivors reporting violent movement and a possible blast near the front of the ferry. The exact cause remains under investigation.

CAPTAIN AND CREW DETAINED

Authorities have detained the ferry’s captain and crew members while investigators examine what went wrong.

Officials said the vessel had originally been scheduled to depart earlier but its journey was delayed because of poor weather.

Investigators are now working to determine why the ferry proceeded and what caused it to take on water and overturn.

Authorities have also focused on recovering the vessel’s black box, which could provide critical information about the final moments of the voyage.

THE SEARCH CONTINUES

The sunken ferry now lies at a considerable depth, making the recovery operation extremely difficult.

As rescuers continue searching, families of missing passengers are facing an agonizing wait for answers.

For the Bicer family, however, the tragedy has already changed everything.

One child survived.

Two children are gone.

And a mother is left remembering the final words she heard from her daughter:

“Don’t let go.”

The investigation continues as authorities work to determine exactly what happened aboard the ferry — and whether the tragedy could have been prevented.