DAccording to Turkish information, the Greek coast guard opened fire on a cargo ship in the Aegean Sea. The Turkish state broadcaster TRT reported on Saturday, citing a member of the Turkish coast guard. Accordingly, the ship “Anatolian” came under fire in international waters eleven nautical miles off the Turkish island of Bozcaada. The two Greek ships involved would have disregarded international law.
According to TRT, the Greek ships had pulled away when the Turkish Coast Guard reached the scene of the incident. The broadcaster published recordings intended to show the shelling. They could not be independently verified.
The Turkish coast guard escorted the “Anatolian”, which is flying the flag of the Comoros. The local prosecutor’s office launched an investigation into the incident, according to Anadolu News Agency. There were 18 crew members on board the ship, including from Turkey, Egypt, Somalia and Azerbaijan.
The relationship between the two NATO partners Greece and Turkey is at a low point due to a series of conflicts. The two countries accuse each other of airspace violations. Turkey is also angry about the militarization of Greek islands in the east Aegean. In addition, there are repeated disputes about Turkish natural gas drilling in the Mediterranean.
