Greece has responded to Turkey’s navigation warning (NAVTEX) regarding research vessel Oruc Reis and accompanying ships with one of its own, reminding mariners the Turkish NAVTEX is illegal, as it concerns an area overlapping with the Greek continental shelf., Ekithemerini reports.
Greece’s anti-NAVTEX, issued just after midnight Saturday, is as follows:
ZCZC HA11
242140 UTC OCT 20
IRAKLEIO STATION NAVWARN 624/20
SOUTHEAST CRETAN SEA
1. UNAUTHORIZED STATION HAS BROADCAST NAVTEX
MESSAGE NUMBER FA22-1332/20 IN HELLENIC NAVTEX
SERVICE AREA, REFERRING TO UNAUTHORIZED AND
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IN AN AREA THAT OVERLAPS THE
GREEK CONTINENTAL SHELF.
IRAKLEIO NAVTEX STATION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO
BROADCAST NAVTEX MESSAGES IN THE AREA.
2. ALL MARINERS ARE REQUESTED TO DISREGARD NAVTEX
MESSAGE NUMBER FA22-1332/20.
3. CANCEL THIS MESSAGE 042059 UTC NOV 20.
NNNN
Turkey issued the navigational warning extending Oruc Reis’ presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, shifting it south of the Greek island of Rhodes until Nov. 4 Saturday.
Turkey disputes the authority of Irakleio NAVTEX station, which is on the island of Crete, over the area.
