A Turkish missile boat harassed the cable-laying vessel Ocean Link by radio between the islands of Kos and Astypalaia in the southeastern Aegean Sea, Kathimerini understands.
The incident occurred while the Panama-flagged vessel was conducting subsea cable installation work in international waters, when the Turkish vessel claimed the area fell under Turkish jurisdiction and argued that the ship should have issued a Navtex navigation warning.
A Greek Navy frigate, Adrias, operating in the area, intervened by radio and stated that the Ocean Link was outside Turkish jurisdiction. The vessel continued its operations uninterrupted, while the Turkish missile boat later departed the area.
Greek officials said the incident fits a pattern of similar episodes in recent months involving cable-laying vessels in the Aegean Sea.
In early March, a Turkish corvette issued similar radio warnings against the cable ship Ocean Connector in the area between Amorgos and Astypalaia.
