Originally appeared at ZeroHedge
In the last three months, tensions between two NATO member states have escalated dramatically – Turkey has threatened to invade Greek islands, Greece has responded, and Greeks now see Turkey as the greatest threat to their existence., but today it appears the situation may have escalated dramatically as Turkish cargo ship KARMATE has collided with the Greek warship ‘Armatolos’ despite warnings that it was on collision course.
KeepTalkingGreece reports that the incident took place at 4 o’ clock Friday morning, South-East off Lesvos within Greek territorial waters. The Turkish-flagged ship had deviated form its original course and fled into Turkish territorial waters. The gunboat was on NATO mission “Aegean Activity” patrolling for migrants and refugees illegally entering Greece from Turkey.
According to a statement issued by the Greek Navy, the Turkish cargo came towards the gunboat, “approached and touched” ARMATOLOS on the left side. KARMATE increased speed and made it towards the Turkish coast. It did not respond to continuous radio calls from ARMATOLOS to stop.
The Turkish cargo violated the International Law of the Sea, breaching safety rules and avoid collision, the statement said.
The Turkish cargo had also ignored visual signals and warning calls from the gunboat while it was on collision course.
The cargo continued its route and entered Turkish territorial waters. Within 1.5 nautical mile, it was stopped by a Turkish Coast Guard vessel that had heard of the whole incident through the radio.
Gunboat Armatolos suffered no serious material damage in the middle, no crew member was injured.
A Greek Coast Guard boat approached the gunboat that continued its course.
The gunboat immediately informed the Greek Navy and the NATO.
The Navy is going to seek compensation from the KARMATE Shipping company, Greek media reported.
Hours after the incident, the KARMATE seems to be anchored off Turkish coast, at the port of Dekili. The cargo had departed the port of Izmir at 10:30 p.m. Turkish local time with destination Tekirdag port in North Turkey.
The behavior of the Turkish captain of KARMATE is considered as “suspicious”, especially if one checks with the cargo route showing it clearly deviated from its original course.
screen shots via marinetraffic.com
Seven hours after the incident and KARMATE’s shipping company has not issued any statement.
The incident comes amid increased tensions between Greece and Turkey with Ankara to challenge sovereignty rights in the Aegean.
Last February, a Turkish Coast Guard patrol boat rammed an anchored Greek Coast Guard boatoff the islet of Imia, Ankara claims it was “under Turkish sovereignty.”
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As we concluded previously, given that Turkey brutally invaded Cyprus in 1974, its current threats against Greece — from both ends of Turkey’s political spectrum — should not be taken lightly by the West.
Greece is the birthplace of Western civilization. It borders the European Union. Any attack against Greece should be treated as an attack against the West. It is time for the West, which has remained silent in the face of Turkish atrocities, to stand up to Ankara.
Please fellow Turds, please make a goddamn move against Greece and Erdcoglan will have his head on a plate.
Turkey = pure evil..
How much I despise and hate the Ottomans. Erdogan is anti-zionist and Greece is for the most part zionist and have military drills and exercises with their buddies in Israhell.
When Greeks become Christian again, Greeks could have the moral high ground, until then, they want to be slaves of the zionists.
So we could say the same thing with the U.S. for aligning with Saudi Arabia, or Russia with Turkey…
You realize some things are done for business and trade deals, they do not run deep into cultural aspects. Think before you type…
I’m not convinced. A military vessel should be alert to danger and able to avoid collisions.
American military vessels often have collisions :)
When you’re on military vessel you may developed habit of stroking your nose. I agree that the navigator and captain aboard can just avoided them altogether since the gunboat definitely have better speed and maneuverability than a civilian cargo vessels.
In those photos, the Greek military ship seems to have been right outside the Turkish port. Why is that?
only several miles between two coasts.
I’ve just checked the scale on Google maps. Its about 15 miles between the Greek and Turkish coasts there. But the collision, according to the third map image, happened about a mile and a half from the Turkish port.
It would be useful to know if the Greek ship was also moving or if it was anchored. Maybe it is normal for Greek ships to be anchored just off the Turkish coast. But it seems quite strange to me.
The photos whith the map shows the cargo ships route…. After the insident the cargo ship went into Turkis waters…
The Greek warship was in NATO mision and has approval to be there!!!
So was it moving, or anchored?
The mision is to be in this place anchored to looking for migrands from Turkey and stop them or comunicate with Turkis so they can stop them BEFORE PAS THE BORDERS!!!!!! THATS WHY IT IS CLOSER TO Turkey
Why did the Turkish vessel run away like a chicken?
You mean why did it move away, very slowly? Presumably because there was no damage and it was heading into port.
Run away like a chicken, too afraid to face justice!
Oh come on. A civilian ship Vs a military ship. The Greeks could have arrested them all if they liked, and their ship is fast and manoeuvrable to run circles around the Turkish cargo vessel.
Either the Greek ship deliberately sailed into the path of the Turkish ship, so they could raise a fuss about being collided with, or the Greeks were simply too lazy to get out of the path of this Turkish vessel, either way the issue is not worth worrying about.
I would trust the Greeks more than the Turks, just like the vast majority of humanity!
I trust people I know to be trust worthy, people who have earned trust due to a good reputation, and people who have no motive to lie. I don’t trust governments or ethnic groups, I use logic when judging their motives and interests.
And that is why Greece is more respected and trusted in this world than Turkey!
Religious persecution of Christians, jailing of so many journalists, shutting down news outlets and even facebook, etc… c’mon Turkey is not a stable democracy one bit.
Nor is Greece a stable democracy. My Greek friends view their government as corrupt and their police force as largely criminal.
Still cannot join the EU, why is that?
Don’t know, but Britain is leaving
UK is nothing to be proud of… they are a lap dog for the U.S.
Don’t worry, Comrade Corbyn will change all that when he comes to power
I live in the United States m oron!
I was refering to a change in Prime Minister stopping the UK being a lap dog for the U.S.
I would rate the U.S. government as more corrupt than any other in the world!
Dumb and dumber Greek ?supporting each other
“Any attack against Greece should be treated as an attack against the West” Right and when goldman sachs and germany raped greece at knifepoint it wasn’t an attack just business.
https://youtu.be/qW2-4OvXTV8?t=8m13s
Screw you you idiot! You sound like all commies ,marxist and socialist don’t work for anything just take and that exactly what Greece did. The home of socialism take the money and run and then whine because they have to pay it back. Now look at the reality no knife just pay back and Greece put your swizzle sticks down where done giving you any more no more pudding and booze for you.
” Greece is the birthplace of Western civilization. ”
mmm has the ‘West’ ever been very civilised ?
Wearing rags and sandals using AK = Savage barbarian sub human Wearing a suit necktie using drone and multimillion cruise missile to do the job = civilized. The hypocrisy and illusion of some kinds moral high ground is appalling. Our youths grow big under this constant propaganda now look as disgusting as the men that started all of this. Once a strike on their ‘peaceful’ ‘civilized’ daily life they all cry vengeance unknowingly because their own ignorance.
It is one of the birthplaces of Western civilisation.
What is your definition of ‘Civilisation’ and is the West more ‘civilised’ than other nations ?
The word civilisation refer to cities (civis), but is generally used to indicate a level of higher culture. The west certainly has plenty of cities and some of them very beautiful, with lots of cultured people so it is civilised in that sense. But to start comparing to other cultures is to engage in a pissing contest that I don’t find savoury. To make useful comparisons between cultures you would have to find objective points of reference. That is, not taking a notion from one culture (such as civilisation) and then comparing others how they measure against it. It is a stacked deck with a predictable result.
When you hear that the Russians have captured the city of Crimea, you should know that the times of the Messiah(Antichrist) have started – that his steps are being heard. “And when you hear that the Russians have reached the city of Constantinople, you should put on your Shabbat (Sabbath) clothes and don’t take them off – because it means that the Messiah (Antichrist) is about to come any minute.”
VERY SOON RUSSIA WILL RETAKE CONSTANOPLE. WHEN IT SAYS MESSIAH THAT IS THE ANTICHRIST .JEWS ARE WAITING FOR THERE OWN MESSIAH (ANTICHRIST) ww1= leage of nations ww2=un ww3=NWO WW3 WILL START SOMEWHERE IN 2019-2021.
The pride of the Greek Navy just sat there & let themselves get T-Boned by civilians… no wonder the Turkish military are becoming more aggressive, the Greeks are proving they wont put up a fight.
Wrong!
One more step towards Turkey’s isolation from NATO and ‘the west’, which is good to see. Turkey are not natural allies of any European nation, particularly as it’s madman leader openly boasts about Islamizing Europe. Kick Turkey out and remove that fake entity in northern Cyprus.
Gypsy go back to Cave now
and turco Mongolian go back to your asiatic steppes
Ouzo + captagon! Captain was dodging pink elephants and 3 headed Aliens! :D
Captain forgot to turn off the Klingon Cloaking Device!
Deliberate and preplanned provocation.