Turkish, Greek boats clash in Aegean waters

AYDIN

Tensions flared in the Aegean Sea late on Oct. 30 when Greek coast guard units clashed with Turkish fishermen after their boats were allegedly dragged into Greek territorial waters by strong currents.

According to the Turkish fishermen involved, the incident unfolded when they cast their nets into the sea off the coast of western Kuşadası town and subsequently found themselves in Greek waters due to powerful currents.

Greek coast guard teams issued warnings to the Turkish fishermen before resorting to measures. The Greeks then allegedly struck the Turkish boats with a long iron rod, prompting the fishermen to contact Turkish forces for assistance via radio.

Following the distress call, the Greek boat allegedly used pressurized water against the Turkish vessels.

The situation escalated further when a Turkish coast guard boat intervened, forcing the Greek vessel to retreat from Turkish territorial waters.

Mobile phone footage captured by the Turkish fishermen documented the incident, including the confrontation with the Greek coast guard team and their subsequent removal from Turkish waters.

Ali Sarıhan, 24, the captain of one of the affected boats, expressed relief that no injuries occurred despite the confrontation.

The incident occurred amid a series of positive steps taken by the neighbors historically strained by territorial disputes, differences in maritime boundaries and contrasting political ideologies.