Greece admits ‘warning shots’ alongside Turkish freighter

Sep. 11 () –

The Greek Coast Guard has admitted that it fired “warning shots” next to a Turkish cargo ship on Saturday, although it has justified them by claiming that the ship was making “suspicious” movements in Greek territorial waters.

The Turkish authorities had denounced “harassment shots” against the ‘Anatolian’, with the flag of Comoros and 18 crew members on board, in international waters. According to Turkey’s version, the Greek ships left the area after the intervention of the Turkish Coast Guard.

However, the Greek coastguard has explained that they acted after detecting that the ‘Anatolian’ was making suspicious movements northwest of the island of Lesbos and that, initially, they requested the captain of the freighter to stop to carry out an inspection on board.

Given the refusal of the ‘Anatolian’ to stop its march, a chase began in which “warning shots” would have been fired in a “safe area”, according to a statement from the Greek Coast Guard. The ship continued to sail until it entered Turkish territorial waters, he added.

This incident is part of an increase in tension between the two countries. Turkey accuses Greece of “occupying” some demilitarized Aegean islands and of attaching an anti-aircraft missile system to Turkish warplanes, which Athens denies.