Cyprus ferry death toll rises to 10 as rescuers recover another body - but 18 people remain missing

The death toll in the ferry accident off the coast of northern Cyprus has risen to 10 with 18 more people missing. The FiloJet ferry was carrying 267 people when it capsized shortly after departing from Kyrenia port in the Turkish-occupied north of the island at around midday on Sunday.Rescuers saved 239 people from the doomed vessel but so far 10 people have died, all Turkish, while over a dozen more remain unaccounted for.Yesterday, during a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Turkey's vice president Cevdet Yilmaz announced the recovery of the tenth body.'The body of one more person has been recovered and brought to the surface... The number of those who have died has risen to 10,' he told a news conference.Northern Cyprus's prime minister Unal Ustel said on Thursday it was believed the missing had all gone down with the ship which is lying at a depth of 514m.Mr Yilmaz said it was likely more bodies would be recovered in the coming days.Since Wednesday morning, two specialist Turkish naval vessels equipped with underwater drones have been working round the clock to find the remaining victims. Terrifying footage shows passengers desperately scrambling to escape from deep inside a sinking ferry off northern Cyprus after it was battered by waves. Yesterday, the death toll raised to 10 with over a dozen more people missing The double-hulled ferry, which had 267 people aboard, took in water and flipped over on Sunday just off the port city of Kyrenia, leaving survivors clinging to the overturned hullBefore the latest bodies were found, officials said the eight dead were all Turkish nationals, as were 18 of the 20 missing, with the last two from northern Cyprus.They did not clarify the nationalities of the two bodies recovered in the past 24 hours.Terrifying footage from inside the stricken vessel shows passengers scrambling to escape from deep inside the sinking ferry after it was battered by waves as frightened screams and cries ring out around them.At one point, a man is seen perched on the side of the sharply tilted ferry with a phone pressed to his ear, appearing to call for help as others scramble around him.Other harrowing footage captures the aftermath outside, where survivors are seen bobbing in the choppy sea alongside the partially submerged ferry.Some cling to one another in the water while others are seen trying to pull people from inside the ship. In further footage, a rescue helicopter is seen hovering overhead.So far, investigators have been unable to retrieve the ferry's voyage data recorder (VDR) - its 'black box' - which should give a clearer indication of what led to the ferry capsizing.During a court appearance in Kyrenia, the ferry's first officer said the captain had delayed returning to port when the vessel began taking on water, local media reports said. Mustafa Oz was named as the vessel's captain as crew members and company officials were seen being led into court on Monday over the disaster Passengers try to pull people out who are still trapped inside the ship Survivors have also claimed Mustafa Oz, the 66-year-old captain, abandoned ship as it capsized.Speaking to Anadolu state news agency, a Turkish survivor called Sadik Saribuga spoke of delays in turning back when the ferry was clearly experiencing trouble about 15-20 minutes into the journey.'At first, the ferry began to sway and take on water. The seats came loose and the passengers told the crew to turn back. A man came over and said, "This happens all the time, nothing will happen",' he said. Mr Saribuga's account echoed other passenger testimony about the crew trying to insist everything was fine.Then when the situation worsened, 'they tried to turn around and that's when the ship capsized,' he explained, saying he and other passengers got out onto the upper deck by breaking a window.The captain and eight others were remanded in custody by a court in Girne on Monday, and returned for a second hearing on Thursday.At the hearing, evidence presented by police investigators said the catastrophe could have been avoided if - when the ferry started taking on water, the captain had reduced speed and carefully turned back to port, media reports said.The court ordered all nine, who are facing charges of negligent homicide, to remain in custody for another eight days.Crew members reportedly told investigators that the ferry's 'bow section broke off', with technical examinations now under way to establish exactly what caused the vessel to sink.Investigators are also examining the ship's technical condition before it set sail and its navigation and safety permits, although initial information indicates it had the necessary approvals.