Turks Help Smugglers, Open Fire On Greek Coastguard Near Island Of Symi
A Turkish patrol boat unleashed fire against the Greek Coastguard on Tuesday night when the latter attempted to obstruct a third vessel, that was carrying 30 illegal immigrantsfrom Turkey into Greece, from landing on the island of Symi.
Initial reports claim that the catamaran (suspected of being Greek owned) was immediately spotted by the Greek coastguard and when authorities rushed to the scene to obstruct it from landing on the island they were met with gunfire from their Turkish counterparts! Other reports are stating that the Turkish Coastguard fired on the catamaran that had just sailed off from the Turkish coast, but this is highly unlikely.
Specifically, a report on defencenet.gr said that the Turkish patrol boat even attempted to steer the catamaran in Greekterritorial waters, despite the warnings it received not to do so from the Greek Coastguard and instead fired a warning shot in the stern of the boat! Thankfully the Greek coastguard did not react and kept its cool. As such, the tension died down and the catamaran (with all the illegal immigrants) remained in Greekterritorial waters and was later directed to the island of Rhodes.
Greek officials are now expected to question the captain and a crew member of the catamaran over the incident and they will have to also answer to a Rhodes prosecutor about their involvement in this illegal crime.
It should be noted that the immigrants boarded the catamaran in Datca, Turkey and were likely heading towards the island of Symi, or to some isolated area near the island to illegally enter into Greece.
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