A chorus of boos rang out around the port of Kyrenia as Turkish ambassador in Nicosia Ali Murat Basceri departed for the capital on Monday afternoon, with the families of those who remain missing after the sinking of a passenger ferry off Cyprus’ northern coast making their distaste both for him and Turkey’s government clear.
Dozens of people who had gathered outside the port had demanded that he or another official speak directly to them to inform them of the state of ongoing search-and-rescue efforts.
Earlier, they had blocked the gate when he attempted to leave the port complex, declaring that “no one will leave here without first explaining themselves”.
However, shortly after 1.30pm, police officers gathered to push those waiting away from the gate, clearing a way for Basceri’s vehicle to depart.
Basceri cut a pensive figure in the rear of the car, sat in its back seat but peering towards the windscreen as dozens of police officers in front of it pushed through the crowd to forge a path for his departure.
As his car accelerated past the gathered crowd, a chorus of boos went up, with one bystander shouting, “are you not even going to speak to us?”, and another calling him an “asshole”.
It remains unclear who is at the crisis desk inside the security forces’ building with Basceri having left, though dozens of members of the families of those missing remain outside the port’s entrance gate.
The ferry had capsized with 259 passengers and eight crew onboard shortly after leaving the new port of Kyrenia at around 12.10pm on Sunday, having been en route to the Turkish port of Tasucu.
A total of eight people are known to have died as a result of the accident, while at least 18 people are currently missing.
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