In light of the Imia crisis anniversary, Turkey is trying to provoke Greece again by sending warships to patrol the two islets, “in case the Greeks want to lay a wreath” in honor of the three Hellenic Navy servicemen that lost their lives in the 1996 Imia incident, as reported by Turkish media!
Three ships of the Turkish Navy and a Coast Guard patrol vessel have encircled Imia.
This serious provocation has begun since Monday afternoon, as illustrated by the images of warships sailing near Imia, which are broadcast by Turkish websites and television networks.
“Every year since 1996, the Greek side has attempted to lay a wreath in the area, in memory of the three officers who were killed when their helicopter crashed, at dawn on January 31, 1996. This year, Greek soldiers will not be able to approach the area. The Turkish armed forces, which have taken extensive security measures, has blocked out the area”, Sabah reports.
