Turkish patrol boat collides with stationary Greek coast guard ship near Imia

Tensions rise in the Aegean Sea

A Turkish patrol boat hit a Greek ship near the isles of Imia, Monday night. Specifically, yesterday at midnight, a Turkish vessel struck the funnel of a Greek coast guard boat which was stationary at the time of impact. The Hellenic Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy made it clear in a statement realised that the incident did not involve a ramming but a collision.
According to the latest information, the Greek boat sustained some damage but there were no injuries to the crew. The float has been transported to Leros for repair, while the conditions under which the collision occurred are being investigated.
Some Turkish media outlets covered the incident as breaking news, with newspaper Milliyet reporting that tensions rose when a “Greek boat attempted to reach the islet”, adding that the Greek vessel had been damaged.

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