The helicopter carrying the Chief of the Army Staff along with 16 senior army officers, was harassed twice today by the Turks.

According to information, during his transition from Rhodes to the islands of Ro and Strongyli, the Turkish radio radar called for the Greek helicopter to change course because it violated the Turkish FIR!

The Turks, however, have escalated their provocation and during the return flight to Rhodes a pair of Turkish F-16s from the Dalaman airforce base approached the Greek helicopter.

In the radio conversation, which was also open for the Greek crew to hear, the Turkish fighters were asked by their radar controller to make a visual recognition of the helicopter. The Turkish pilots reportedly passed about 2,000 feet away from the Chinook helicopter and proceeded to transmit the relevant information.

A pair of HAF F-16s from the 115th Fighting Wing was airborne and intercept the Turkish airplanes.

Since morning, Ankara has conducted a total of 21 violations of the Greek airspace.

Specifically, one day after the provocative statements by the Turkish Foreign Minister on the “gray zones” in the Aegean Sea, the Turkish Air Force (THK) repeated their provocations in the Greek Archipelago.

In total, the 6 Turkish aircraft that flew in two formations in the northeast, central and southeastern Aegean, proceeded to 21 violations of Greek airspace.

It is also worth noting that all the Turkish aircraft were armed.

The Turkish airplanes proceeded in three air traffic law violations in the Athens FIR. The above aircraft were identified and intercepted in accordance with international rules, according to the established practice.