A Greek gunboat and military helicopter were harassed by a Turkish patrol

[tigershark]

Greece to lodge demarches over harassment of gunboat, helicopter during operation by Turkish patrol boat, jetfighters

A Greek gunboat and military helicopter were harassed by a Turkish patrol boat and a pair of Turkish F-16 jetfighters near the islands of Farmakonissi and Agathonissi in the Aegean on Wednesday morning, and foreign minister Dora Bakoyannis immediately gave instructions for the relevant demarches to be lodged with the neighboring country.

   In a statement, Bakoyannis called the Turkish actions "unacceptable", stressing that they were in "blatant violation of International Law" while they also hampered the efforts being made for improvement of Greek-Turkish relations.

   According to the Greek National Defence General Staff (GEETHA), during a search and rescue operation underway around Farmakonissi to locate illegal immigrants, in which the gunboat "Nikiforos" and a Super Puma helicopter were taking part, at 9:15 a.m. the gunboat was harassed by the Turkish patrol boat and the helicopter by the pair of F-16s, "despite the fact that the area had been engaged since Tuesday for the execution of this operation, with a NOTAM issued by the Merchant Marine Ministry via the Search and Rescue Coordination Center".

   Greek fighter planes immediately intercepted the Turkish figher planes, which abandoned the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) at 9:22 a.m., flying at a low altitude above Farmakonissi.

   Shortly afterwards, GEETHA said, the two Turkish F-16s re-entered the Athens FIR, this time between the islands of Chios and Samos, without submitting flight plans. The Greek jetfighters again launched a reconaissance and interception of the Turkish fighter planes, following an engagement.

   A short while later the pair of Turkish F-16s entered the Athens FIR for a third time, again without submitting a flight plan, and were intercepted anew by Greek jetfighters before abandoning the Athens FIR at 9:55, flyng at a low altitude this time over Agathonissi.

   Also, at 12:17 p.m., a formation of eight Turkish jetfighters entered the Athens FIR between Chios and Samos, without submitting flight plans, and were reconnaisced and intercepted by Greek figher planes following engagement. Two of the eight planes of the formation -- F-4s -- flew at an altitude of 6,000 fet over Farmakonissi as the formation existed the Athens FIR at 12:39 p.m.

   The above data was forwarded to the foreign ministry for the relevant actions towards international organizations, a GEETHA announcement said.

Source
http://www.ana.gr/anaweb/user/showplain?maindoc=7186401&service=142