“DON’T LET GO”: MOTHER REVEALS HEARTBREAKING FINAL MOMENTS WITH HER TWO CHILDREN AS FERRY CAPSIZES OFF CYPRUS

“Don’t let go.”

Those were the heartbreaking words a mother remembers hearing from her 12-year-old daughter as a ferry suddenly overturned off the coast of northern Cyprus.

Ayten Bicer was desperately trying to hold onto her daughter, Saliha Miray Bicer, as the vessel began to capsize.

Then, in a matter of seconds, everything changed.

A suitcase reportedly fell onto Saliha, breaking her mother’s grip.

Ayten managed to grab her daughter’s foot.

But the girl’s shoes had become coated in engine oil.

Her grip slipped.

And Saliha disappeared into the water.

“I didn’t let go of my daughter. I swear, I didn’t let her go,” the devastated mother said.

HER SIX-YEAR-OLD SON WAS ALSO LOST

Ayten’s husband, Hayri Bicer, was desperately trying to hold onto their six-year-old son, Mehmet Asaf Bicer.

The family had been traveling together when the Filo Jet ferry began taking on water shortly after leaving Kyrenia for Taşucu, Turkey.

The couple survived along with their 10-year-old son, Halil.

But Saliha and Mehmet remained missing.

Hayri later described the unbearable reality facing the family:

Two children were gone. One son had survived.

The parents were left waiting at the port for any news about their missing children.

267 PEOPLE WERE ON BOARD

The Filo Jet was carrying 259 passengers and eight crew members when it encountered severe conditions and capsized off Kyrenia on August 30.

The vessel eventually sank to a depth of roughly 514 meters — more than 1,600 feet below the surface.

Rescue teams managed to bring hundreds of people back to shore, but the disaster left a devastating toll.

As of the latest reports, eight people have been confirmed dead and 18 remain missing.

Among those still missing are Saliha and Mehmet.

SURVIVORS DESCRIBE CHAOS

The Bicer family’s account is only one of several heartbreaking stories emerging from the disaster.

Survivors have described scenes of confusion and panic as the ferry rapidly began to list and take on water.

Some passengers reportedly struggled to access life jackets as the vessel overturned.

Others ended up clinging to the hull while rescue crews raced toward the scene.

The exact cause of the disaster remains under investigation.

CAPTAIN AND CREW DETAINED

Authorities have detained the captain and seven crew members while investigators examine what happened aboard the ferry.

Officials are also looking into questions surrounding the vessel’s operation and the circumstances under which it departed.

The ferry had reportedly been certified as seaworthy, while survivors have raised allegations about safety procedures and the crew’s response.

Those allegations have not been established as fact and remain part of the investigation.

THE SEARCH MOVES INTO DEEP WATER

The depth of the wreck has made the search extraordinarily difficult.

Turkey has sent specialized equipment and a deep-sea search vessel to assist authorities in locating the missing passengers and examining the sunken ferry.

Investigators are also seeking the vessel’s data recorder, which could provide crucial information about the ferry’s final moments.

For families gathered near the port, however, the investigation feels painfully distant.

Every ambulance.

Every rescue boat.

Every update.

Could potentially bring the news they have been waiting for.

A MOTHER STILL WAITING

Ayten Bicer has already described the moment she tried everything she could to keep her daughter in her grasp.

She grabbed her hand.

Then her foot.

But the overturned ferry had become covered in oil and water, making it almost impossible to hold on.

Her daughter slipped away.

Her six-year-old son disappeared as well.

And now the family waits.

The ferry that was supposed to carry them safely from Cyprus to Turkey instead became the scene of an unimaginable family tragedy.

Eight people are confirmed gone.

Eighteen remain missing.

And somewhere beneath more than 500 meters of water lies the vessel that investigators hope will eventually reveal what happened.

For the Bicer family, though, the investigation is secondary to one desperate hope:

That Saliha and Mehmet will be found — and brought home.