A Turkish offshore vessel’s own version of dangerous maneuvers against a Coast Guard ship off its coast. Samos gives the Turkish Coast Guard, arguing that Greece’s claims are groundless.

The Turkish Coast Guard said in a statement:

“According to statements by the Greek authorities dated November 1, 2022, unsubstantiated claims were made that “during the search and rescue operations carried out to find eight missing persons at sea south of Samos on October 31, 2022, dangerous maneuvers were made. vessel of the Turkish Coast Guard that they displayed weapons and obstructed search and rescue operations by entering the area of ​​responsibility and territorial waters of Greece.

Details of the incident in question are provided below:

On October 31, 2022, when it was discovered that the Greek forces and FRONTEX were conducting search and rescue operations south of Samos to search for missing persons, the Coast Guard vessel was immediately assigned to conduct search and rescue operations in international waters and within Turkey. and rescue zone.

During the search and rescue operations conducted by the Greek forces and FRONTEX, the Greek authorities were informed that the Turkish Coast Guard Command was ready to cooperate and support, in accordance with the Hamburg International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, 1979, the Greek authorities, however, they replied that they do not need the help of the Turkish Coast Guard.

After notifying the Turkish Coast Guard that the body had been found at sea by the St. Christopher and Nevis-flagged commercial vessel “PETRO BULK-1” involved in a search and rescue operation south of Samos at 11:00 AT 20:20 1 On November 2022, a Turkish Coast Guard vessel was sent to the indicated location. At 11:35 a.m., the body was collected and taken to the port of Kusadasi for the necessary procedures.

In order to prevent the removal of the body from the sea, a Greek Coast Guard vessel of the Rafnar LS-1063 class came very close to the Turkish Coast Guard vessel and military personnel demonstrated weapons to the Turkish Coast Guard personnel. Greek ship. The Turkish Coast Guard then responded in kind.

Contrary to the claims of the Greek authorities, the body was transported by a Turkish Coast Guard vessel to the Turkish Search and Rescue Zone and international waters as defined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) under the 1979 International Hamburg Convention on Maritime Search. and Salvation.

Obviously, the position taken by the Greek Coast Guard personnel during a search and rescue operation, the sole purpose of which is to save human lives, in international waters, which are subject to Turkish jurisdiction, is contrary to international law, as well as human rights. fact affecting the consciousness of the entire world public opinion.

Turkish offshore harassed Coast Guard vessel

It is recalled that in the morning, during the search and rescue operation of migrants, a foreign-flagged cargo ship participating in the search found the body in the territorial waters of Greece and in the area of ​​search and rescue responsibility of the Greek authorities and informed the Turkish ship, which was in Turkish territorial waters, of its receipt . Then the Turkish cruiser entered the territorial waters of Greece and made dangerous maneuvers.

In the process of collecting the body by the port police and while the patrol vessel L.S.-EL.AKT. approached the raiding vessel to indicate to her that it had violated Greek territorial waters, the Turkish raiding vessel attempted to damage the vessel LS-EL.AKT.

“Regarding the search and rescue operation of foreigners, which has been ongoing since yesterday in the sea 3.8 nautical miles south of Samiopoula on Samos, under the coordination of the Unified Search and Rescue Coordination Center LS-EL.AKT., it is known that the search continues today LS-EL.AKT patrol boat, LS-EL.AKT High Seas Vessel (PATH), LS-EL.AKT aircraft and FRONTEX military vessel.

This morning, a foreign-flagged vessel, which was recruited by EKSED to participate in the search and rescue operation, discovered one (01) body within the area of ​​search and rescue responsibility of the Greek authorities and on Greek territory. territorial waters, informing a Turkish vessel passing through Turkish territorial waters to collect it.

After that, the Turkish maritime vessel, which was in the neighboring area, entered the search and rescue zone of the Greek authorities and the territorial waters of Greece and made dangerous maneuvers against the patrol ship LS-EL.AKT. In the process of collecting the body and while the patrol vessel L.S.-EL.AKT. approached the raiding vessel to indicate to her that it had violated the territorial waters of Greece, the Turkish raiding vessel attempted to damage the LS-EL.AKT. vessel while displaying weapons.

It is indicated that the aforementioned Turkish vessel did not provide significant assistance in the search area for missing persons at sea, and also did not inform the coordinator of the ECSED operation of its presence.

It is noted that the movements of the Turkish vessel hampered the work of the Greek coast guard and the FRONTEX forces, as well as the development of a search and rescue operation to search for the missing.

This particular incident took place in the presence of the Italian force ship FRONTEX, whose crew recorded the incident in order to inform the FRONTEX organization of their next steps.

The investigation is ongoing and any developments will be reported in a new press release.”