According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, initially a Turkish Coast Guard with headlights and laser beams attempted to “blind” a Greek Super Puma helicopter while trying to rescue a sailor from the sea. The sailor was onboard a ship that was assisting with the rescue of illegal immigrants at the site.

Then a Turkish Coast Guard vessel attempted to ram a boat of the Hellenic Coast Guard while it was on a search and rescue in the area.

The double incident is assessed as serious and as an attempt by Ankara to actively question the right of Greece to perform Search and Rescue operations in its area of ​​responsibility.

According to international law, Greece has the responsibility of SAR throughout the region within the Athens FIR, something that Turkey disputes in practice in a very dangerous way and with disregard to the lives of the people that need help.

The Hellenic Navy and the Coast Guard, since yesterday afternoon are carrying out in the area, a very large SAR operation. According to the official announcement, 92 people were rescued during the operation so far and they have been transferred to Rhodes and Karpathos.

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Specifically, the Joint Search & Rescue Coordination Center of the Hellenic Coast Guard was informed on Monday afternoon about a boat in danger with foreign passengers and the Joint Search & Rescue Coordination Center was immediately mobilized.

Four Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boats, a lifeboat, a Hellenic Navy ship (FAC HN Grigoropoulos) and five merchant ships rushed to the area to locate the boat, while a Hellenic Navy helicopter and a Hellenic Coast Guard helicopter took off.

The Minister of Shipping and Island Policy, Mr. Giannis Plakiotakis, as soon as he was informed about the incident ordered that all appropriate means be made available in the area for the operation.