Applications open for ferry victims’ families to claim support

The application platform for emergency financial support for the families of the dead and missing from the Kyrenia ferry sinking is now open, the Stelios Foundation said o Sunday. “We never discriminate on the grounds of nationality,” the organisation’s founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou said. The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation said it has earmarked financial assistance of up to €280,000 in total for the families of the deceased and missing persons. The announcement was made after a ferry sank off the coast of Kyrenia last Sunday as it was en route to Turkey. Related Articles • There must be full investigations into Cyprus boat tragedies • Thirteenth body recovered from Kyrenia ferry wreck • Funeral held for first Cypriot confirmed dead in Kyrenia ferry disaster • Crew ‘locked doors of passenger cabin’ as Kyrenia ferry took on water • Kyrenia ferry captain ‘bought Honduran licence for $3,500’ • Arikli sacked as north’s ‘transport minister’ A total of 13 people have been declared dead while a further 15 are still missing. Through the dedicated online form, relatives can submit a claim for €10,000 per family, which the foundation described as an immediate and tangible expression of support and solidarity with the families who have lost their loved ones. “Peace and solidarity have always been enduring values for us, particularly in Cyprus, the birthplace of my parents,” Sir Stelios said. “Following the sinking of the ferry, just four miles off the northern coast of Cyprus, we are providing emergency financial assistance to widows, orphans and parents who have lost their loved ones, irrespective of their nationality. “We have provided similar assistance in many emergency situations in different parts of the world: to the families of the victims of the deadly Mari explosion in Cyprus in 2011, to the next of kin of the victims of serial killer Metaxas in Cyprus in 2019, to the families of the victims of the deadly fires in Mati, Greece, in 2018, to the families affected by the Tempi train collision in Greece in 2023, as well as providing food to starving children in Gaza. We never discriminate on the grounds of the nationality of the victims. “I hope this purely humanitarian act will help in a small way to alleviate the suffering for 28 families who are in mourning. I also hope it will contribute to promoting lasting peace in Cyprus.”