Turkey escalates provocation across Aegean with sea and air violations
A serious incident took place on Good Friday, when a
Turkish patrol boat threatened to arrest a Greek fishing boat in the
Greek sea waters. The episode started when a Turkish patrol boat warned a
Greek fishing boat to leave the area near the Greek island of Inousses
claiming it was in Turkish waters. The captain refused and the Turkish
boat threatened to arrest the crew. The Greek coast guard was unable to
defuse the situation, but when the Greek navy gunboat “Krateos’ arrived
on the scene the Turkish patrol boat retreated after negotiations. The
incident was relayed to the Greek military and political leadership and
was estimated as ‘very serious’. Meanwhile, 6 Turkish fighter planes
violated Greek airspace on Good Friday in the northeast, central and
southeast Aegean. Turkish F-16 fighter jets flew over the isles of
Makronisi and Anthropofagoi.