GEMİMO calls for a thorough investigation into the FİLO JET sinking, emphasizing the need for safety and qualified personnel in maritime operations.
The Chamber of Marine Engineering and Machinery Operators (GEMİMO) has published a written press statement following the tragic loss of life and injuries resulting from the sinking of the high-speed passenger vessel named FİLO JET, which capsized and sank off the coast of Girne after taking on water.
Emphasizing that safety and competence are non-negotiable principles in maritime operations, GEMİMO called for an independent and transparent investigation into all aspects of the accident, highlighting the vital importance of employing qualified personnel on passenger ships, effective oversight, and high safety standards.
The statement is as follows:
LOSS OF LIFE AT SEA IS UNACCEPTABLE:
SAFETY AND COMPETENCE MUST NOT BE COMPROMISED IN MARITIME OPERATIONS WHERE HUMAN BEINGS ARE THE SUBJECT!
We have learned with deep anger and sorrow about the loss of lives and injuries resulting from the tragic accident involving the high-speed passenger vessel FİLO JET, which capsized and sank off the coast of Girne on August 30, 2026. We wish God's mercy upon our citizens who lost their lives, condolences to their families and loved ones, and speedy recovery to the injured. We hope that the ongoing search and rescue operations will yield positive results as soon as possible.
Competent Captain and Chief Engineer in Maritime Operations
Vessels carrying hundreds of people are sensitive operational areas where human beings are the subject, regardless of their technological characteristics. It is a vital necessity for qualified, skilled, and experienced long-distance captains and chief engineers to operate in the command, management, and machinery safety of high-speed boats and passenger ships. The high cruising speeds of these vessels, sudden stability changes, and dynamic structures do not tolerate even the slightest operational error. Therefore, there should never be any compromise on the levels of competence in the operations and equipment of high-speed vessels.
Costs Cannot Be Measured Against Lives: Safety of Personnel is a Priority
In the equipping of ships, employment of personnel, and technical maintenance, it is absolutely unacceptable for cost calculations to take precedence over human life. At sea, costs are measured directly against human lives! Cutting corners on safety standards, inspections, and qualified crew staffing due to commercial concerns or cost pressures invites disaster. The ship's crew must prioritize safety at all times during their duties; they must flawlessly manage the entire safety chain, from bilge level alarms to the control of watertight compartments, and from stability calculations to passenger evacuation procedures.
Misinformation Should Not Mislead the Public
Arbitrary statements and guiding comments made before the completion of independent, transparent, and comprehensive technical investigations by official authorities regarding the manner of the accident and its root causes carry the risk of misleading the public. All technical aspects of the incident, the operational conditions of the vessel, inspection history, certification processes, and survey records should be thoroughly examined by experts, and the truth should be shared transparently with the public.
Civil Maritime and Human Life Must Be Protected
Both maritime workers operating under the harsh weather conditions of the Black Sea and the vital threats posed by the war environment, as well as all our citizens on civil vessels carrying passengers in the Mediterranean and Aegean, must be under complete safety assurance. Protecting the safety of civil maritime operations and civil seafarers, from areas of active conflict to stormy seas, is the primary duty of all authorities. We can no longer tolerate even a single loss of life in our seas!
Our Struggle for Safety and Competence Will Continue Unceasingly
Safety and competence at sea are not a wish or a cost item; they are the highest principles that protect human life. As TMMOB GEMİMO, we will continue to raise our voice at the highest level for the presence of qualified long-distance officers and engineers, and for the uncompromising implementation of ship machinery operational safety and maritime safety standards. We are determined to work tirelessly and without pause to establish a safety and competence system in which not a single life is lost at sea, and to follow up on this process.
Respectfully announced to the public.
TMMOB CHAMBER OF MARINE ENGINEERING AND MACHINERY OPERATORS 43rd TERM MANAGEMENT BOARD
Source: SeaNews Türkiye
