A serious incident of tension was reported near the Imia islets, as fishermen from Kalymnos accused the Turkish Coast Guard of threatening them inside Greek territorial waters.
According to the fishermen, a Turkish Coast Guard vessel approached their fishing boat in an aggressive manner while they were operating approximately 1.7 nautical miles west of Imia. The incident was captured on video footage that has since been released, sparking strong reactions.
The fishermen claim the Turkish vessel moved dangerously close and pointed a mounted machine gun toward their boat in an apparent attempt to intimidate them and force them to leave the area.
Fishing boat owner Konstantinos Saroukos described the incident in statements to STAR television:
“They turned the machine gun mounted on the bow — a .50 caliber — directly toward us. This happens every day in our own waters. Here in the Imia area they constantly force us away.”
Fishermen from Kalymnos say they face daily pressure and repeated harassment in the region, stressing that they are operating within Greek territorial waters and calling for a stronger presence of Greek authorities to ensure their protection.
The latest incident adds to the long list of tensions in the Aegean Sea, once again highlighting the fragile situation surrounding the Imia area.
