Türkiye staves off Greek coast guard patrol boat harassing Turkish fishing boats

ANKARA

A Turkish coast guard patrol on Thursday staved off a Greek security vessel that harassed Turkish fishing boats in the Aegean Sea with warning shots into the air, according to an official statement.

Türkiye's Interior Ministry Coast Guard Command said in a statement that a team was dispatched to the area off the district of Didim in Aydin province following reports that the fishing boats were harassed by Greek Coast Guard forces at around 12.02 p.m. local time (0902GMT).

The Greek forces were driven back and the Turkish fishing boats continued with their fishing activities, the statement added.

In response to the shots fired by the Greek side, the Turkish coast guard vessel reciprocated with warning shots in the air as well, it noted.