- Fourteen navy ships are reportedly missing following the Turkey coup
- They have failed to return to their ports and could be headed to Greece
- Commander of the navy Admiral Veysel Kosele also remains missing
More than a dozen Turkish navy ships are reportedly still at sea and remain unaccounted for following the botched military coup.
The commander of the Turkish navy Admiral Veysel Kosele also remains missing, having been out of contact since Friday evening.
It
is unclear if he was part of the coup attempt or if he is being held
against his will after local media reports said he was tricked into
boarding one of the missing ships after being told there was a terrorist
attack.
More than a dozen Turkish navy ships
are reportedly still at sea and remain unaccounted for following the
botched military coup (file picture)
According to the Times, the 14 missing ships were on active duty in either the Aegean or Black Sea on Friday.
They have failed to return to their ports even though they are likely to be traceable through radar on satellite.
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It has prompted speculation that the ships may be on their way to Greek ports where the sailors will attempt to seek asylum.
The
Turkish government refused to comment on the but told the newspaper:
'We assess that there are sleeper cells that might try to hijack
helicopters or engage in other violent acts against peaceful
demonstrators and government buildings.'
Meanwhile
eight other military personnel who flew a helicopter to Greece amid the
coup have tried to claim asylum in the country.
Today they will appear before immigration authorities for interviews on their applications.
Eight other military personnel who
flew a helicopter to Greece amid the coup have tried to claim asylum in
the country. One is pictured being led into a court in the Greek city of
Alexandroupolis
The eight were being interviewed today near the north-eastern city of Alexandroupolis.
One
of their lawyers has said they deny involvement in Friday's attempted
coup in Turkey, saying the helicopter had been used to transport wounded
and had come under fire from police, at which point they fled fearing
for their lives.
Turkey
is seeking their return and Greece has said their asylum applications
must be examined under international law, but the fact that they are
accused of participating in a coup would be taken into account.
The eight face trial on Thursday for illegal entry into Greece.
Meanwhile
the former Turkish air force chief Akin Ozturk has confessed to
prosecutors his role in plotting the coup that attempted to topple the
government over the weekend, the state-run Anadolu Agency reports.
General Ozturk was quoted as having told interrogators that he 'acted with intention to stage a coup'.
Former Turkish air force chief Akin
Ozturk, centre, has confessed to prosecutors his role in plotting the
coup that attempted to topple the government
General Ozturk was quoted as having told interrogators that he 'acted with intention to stage a coup'
Earlier
today officials accused of masterminding the uprising, including
Ozturk, were paraded on camera with their hands bound and ordered to
give their name and rank before being taken to be interrogated.
Photographs appeared to show several injuries to Gen Ozturk's head and upper body.
More
than 200 people were killed after a faction in the military launched
the coup attempt on Friday night, sealing off a bridge across the
Bosphorus, trying to capture Istanbul's main airport and sending tanks
to parliament in Ankara.
General Ozturk had earlier denied any involvement in the coup attempt and insisted he worked to stop it.
Turkish
president Tayyip Erdogan faced down the coup bid late on Friday by
elements in the military disgruntled with his 13-year rule.
However,
a a US-based Turkish cleric accused of plotting the coup to overthrow
the Ankara government has said President Erdogan staged the rebellion
himself to justify a major clampdown on opposition forces.
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