A Turkish naval vessel equipped with a deep-diving remotely operated vehicle (ROV) arrived off northern Cyprus on Tuesday to investigate the wreckage of a ferry that capsized over the weekend, officials reported. The ferry went down several nautical miles from the port while en route to the Turkish mainland. Eight Turkish nationals have been confirmed dead, and rescuers are continuing to search for 20 individuals still missing.

The sunken vessel lies at a depth of approximately 514 meters, according to authorities in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), a self-declared state recognized only by Turkey. The ROV aboard the Turkish navy ship is capable of descending to depths of up to 1,000 meters, enabling a thorough examination of the wreck site.

Unal Ustal, the TRNC prime minister, emphasized the urgency of locating those still unaccounted for, describing it as the highest priority. The ongoing operations come amid growing concern over the cause of the disaster.

Following the incident, police detained the ferry’s captain and 15 other individuals. Nine of the detainees appeared in court on Monday in Kyrenia (known as Girne in Turkish) facing charges of negligent homicide. To honour the victims, the TRNC declared three days of mourning.

Rescue teams from the TRNC continue efforts amid challenging conditions to recover the missing persons, while investigators work to determine the circumstances that led to the ferry’s capsizing.