Turkey has issued a second warning to shipping between the eastern Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo to steer clear of a Turkish vessel in the area, Greek newspaper Kathimerini said on Monday.
Turkey is at odds with Greece and Cyprus in a series of territorial disputes in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean seas, made more pressing by the likely presence of large deposits of natural gas in the region.
Turkey issued a navigational telex, or Navtex, on Monday saying its Bilim-2 vessel was conducting oceanographic and climate research in the area. The Navtex replaced a similar one that expired on Monday.
Turkey’s Office of Navigation, Hydrography and Oceanography also issued a warning requesting that all vessels keep a “wide berth” of the Bilim-2 vessel, Kathimerini said.
