Tensions flare up in the Aegean Sea

Tensions escalated in the Aegean over the past few days, a situation not seen since 2022.

Turkey deployed five warships, albeit not all at once, just outside Greek territorial waters between the islands of Kassos and Karpathos in the southeastern Aegean. This move was justified by Turkey on the grounds that its continental shelf had been violated.

Turkey claims this violation occurred due to the presence of the Ievoli Relume (IMO:9280720), an Italian-flagged research vessel conducting surveys for the future deployment of underwater sea cables for the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), the electricity link between Crete and Cyprus. Turkey does not acknowledge that islands have a continental shelf.

Initially, Turkey dispatched two frigates and a corvette, while Greece had only one gunboat, the HS Aittios (P268), in the area but at a later stage, a Greek frigate, the HS Nikoforos Fokas (F466) also appeared in the area.

According to the Greek newspaper Ekathimerini, after 7:00 p.m. on Monday, two more missile boats of the Turkish navy arrived in the area. Athens decided not to escalate, so a Coast Guard open sea patrol vessel was sent to the area.