Authorities have recovered the remains of two more individuals from the wreck of a passenger ferry that sank off the northern coast of Cyprus, bringing the confirmed death toll to 12. Sixteen people are still missing, according to the leader of the northern part of the island. The ferry, named Filo Jet, was carrying 267 passengers and crew when it capsized and sank on Sunday afternoon after departing from Kyrenia, a port in northern Cyprus, bound for Tasucu, Turkey. The incident has sparked a large-scale search and rescue operation, with two Turkish navy vessels participating. These vessels are equipped with submersible craft capable of reaching the wreck, which lies approximately 550 meters (1,804 feet) beneath the surface of the sea. The remains of two women were recovered in the latest operation, bringing the total number of bodies recovered to four, including a man and a woman found earlier. The search is taking place about 7.5 kilometers (4.5 miles) off the northern Cypriot coast. Survivors described the moments before the disaster, saying that the ferry, a wide-bodied catamaran, began tilting and taking on water after loud noises were heard below deck. This caused panic among passengers, with some trapped in the seating area as water rushed in and the ship rolled onto its side. Eight crew members and the director of the ferry’s owner, Filo Denizcilik, are currently in custody. Five others, including Filo Denizcilik staff and port officials, are under investigation for their roles in the incident. The ferry’s owner has not yet commented on the situation. Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when the island was split along ethnic lines following a Turkish military intervention. Turkish Cypriots declared independence in 1983, forming the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized by Turkey. The north is home to more than 35,000 Turkish troops, who have remained stationed there since the division.