ANKARA/ATHENS, July 3 (Reuters) - The captain of a Turkish freight ship on Monday said the Greek coast guard opened fire on his vessel after he refused an order to dock at a port in the Aegean Sea.

Sami Kalkavan, captain of the M/V ACT freight ship told broadcaster CNN Turk the coast guard ordered him to dock at the Greek island of Rhodes for inspection, and opened fire after he failed to comply, leaving 16 bullet holes in the vessel.

“The coast guard asked for the ship to be docked at the port at Rhodes immediately, and we did not accept this. They wanted to check (the ship), and we didn’t accept that,” he told the broadcaster. “They said they would fire if we didn’t stop, they did what they said.”

Kalkavan did not say why he didn’t want the ship to be inspected. He said there was no risk of water intake from the bullet holes.

An official from the Greek shipping ministry confirmed that the coast guard tried to inspect the ship’s cargo, adding that the vessel did not cooperate and then moved back to Turkish waters. The official did not comment on whether the coast guard opened fire.

The Greek coast guard declined to comment.

Broadcaster NTV reported that two ships belonging to the Turkish coast guard were at the scene, and it quoted Turkey’s foreign ministry as saying it was in contact with the relevant authorities.

Kalkavan confirmed the ship, which had set off from Turkey’s southeastern city of Iskenderun near Turkey’s Syrian border, had returned to Turkish waters.

Friction between neighbours and NATO allies Greece and Turkey is not uncommon, given territorial disputes and Ankara’s anger with Athens for failing to hand over Turkish soldiers who fled after an abortive coup last year.

Turkey and Greece came to the brink of war in 1996 over the ownership of uninhabited islets known as Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and Renee Maltezou; Editing by David Dolan)</s>Turkish NTV channel reported that the Greek coast guard opened fire on a Turkish-flagged cargo ship in the Aegean Sea.

© AP Photo / Hurriyet 'Provocation Will Face Counteraction': Greek Defense Minister Warns Against Turkish 'Foot' on Disputed Islands

According to preliminary data, during the passage of the Turkish ACT ship in the Aegean Sea, Greek coast guard boats demanded that the ship moor to the port of Rhodes Island to check the cargo. The captain of the ship allegedly ignored this demand. Then the Greek boats opened fire.

The Turkish ship's crew found 36 bullet holes on the ship's hull.

It is unclear yet whether there are injured in the incident.

NTV said the vessel continued to move along the route, while two boats of the Turkish Coast Guard arrived at the scene of the incident.

According to the Greek side, "the Turkish vessel was in Greek [territorial] waters, thus, when there was no reaction to the demand of the coast guard, warning fire was opened."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry said that the incident is being investigated.

The two countries have been locked in a dispute over a portion of territorial waters in the Aegean Sea, exclusive economic zones and a number of territories. The conflict nearly burst into violence in 1987 and in 1996, and until this day remains unresolved.

This February, Turkish Coast Guard vessels entered Greek territorial waters near the disputed Imia islets in the southeast Aegean, and were closely monitored by the Greek navy and coast guard.

Tensions flared up after the Greek court refused in January to extradite several Turkish servicemen, whom Ankara suspects of being linked to the July 2016 coup attempt.</s>A cargo vessel, named ‘ACT’ and sailing under the Turkish flag, has come under fire from Greek coast guard boats in the Aegean Sea, according to Turkish media.

The vessel was allegedly moving in the direction of the Izmit Bay of the Sea of Marmara from the Turkish port of Iskenderun.

According to reports, Greek coast guard vessels approached ‘ACT’ in the Aegean Sea and demanded that it enter a port on the Greek island of Rhodes for cargo inspection. The Turkish captain allegedly ignored the demand and came under fire from Greek coast guards. Two vessels of the Turkish coast guard reportedly arrived at the scene after the incident.

No people were killed or injured in the incident.</s>A cargo vessel sailing under the Turkish flag has come under fire from Greek coast guard boats in the Aegean Sea, Turkey’s NTV broadcaster reported.</s>News is coming in from the Turkish NTV channel that the Greek coast guard opened fire at a Turkish-flagged cargo ship in the Aegean Sea.

Greek media is stating that it fired “warning shots” at the vessel.

Turkish media oulets report that 16 to 36 bullet holes were counted on Turkish freighter.

A Greek Coast Guard opened fire on the M/V ACT Turkish-flagged freighter ship in the Aegean Sea on Monday. The foreign ministry has stated that it was in contact with the relevant institutions. Sami Kalkavan, the captain of the ship, told CNN Turk “The coast guard wanted immediate withdrawal of the ship from the Port of Lodos. We did not accept it, they wanted to do a control check but we did not accept this either. They said they would shoot if we didn’t stop, and they did as they said.” “This is a route we have traveled through before. The bullets struck the freighter. The crew survived a great danger,” he added.</s>Turkey’s state-run news agency says the country dispatched three boats to the Aegean Sea after Greek coast guards fired on a Turkish freighter ship near the Greek island of Rhodes.

The freighter’s captain told Turkish media on Monday that the Greek coast guards approached his vessel, the ACT, in international waters, demanded that it sail to a port in Rhodes and fired on it when he refused. He said there were 16 bullet holes but the vessel was not in danger of sinking.

The Greek Coast Guard said it tried to stop the vessel following reports that it was carrying narcotics. It said the ship was in Greek waters.

Anadolu Agency said the Turkish coast guard dispatched two boats while the navy sent an assault boat to the region.</s>Turkey on Monday condemned what it called an "excessive act" by Greece after Greek coast guards fired on a Turkish freighter ship near the Greek island of Rhodes.

The freighter's captain, Haluk Sami Kalkavan, told Turkish media on Monday that the Greek coast guards approached his vessel in international waters, demanded that it dock at a port in Rhodes and fired on it when he refused. He said his crew counted 16 bullet holes on the vessel but the ship was not in danger of sinking.

The Greek Coast Guard said it tried to stop the vessel following "an anonymous telephone complaint" that it was carrying narcotics. It said the ship was in Greek waters.

"Warning shots were fired but the ship did not change course," the Greek Coast Guard said. "The competent Turkish authorities have been informed of the incident."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation over the incident, accusing Greece of "disregarding human life."

It added: "There is no explanation that can justify shooting at a commercial and therefore unarmed ship that is sailing between two Turkish ports."

The state-run Anadolu Agency said the Turkish coast guard dispatched two boats while the navy sent an assault boat to the region following the incident. The boat was being accompanied back to Turkish waters where the crew would be questioned.</s>ANKARA/ATHENS, July 3 (Reuters) - The captain of a Turkish freighter said on Monday the Greek coast guard opened fire on his vessel after he refused an order to dock at a port in the Aegean Sea.

Sami Kalkavan, captain of the M/V ACT told broadcaster CNN Turk the coast guard ordered him to dock at the Greek island of Rhodes for inspection, and opened fire after he failed to comply, putting 16 bullet holes in the ship.

"The coast guard asked for the ship to be docked at the port at Rhodes immediately, and we did not accept this. They wanted to check (the ship), and we didn't accept that," he said.

"They said they would fire if we didn't stop, they did what they said," Kalkavan said without saying why he did not want the ship to be inspected. He said there was no risk of water intake from the bullet holes.

Friction between Turkey and Greece is not uncommon, given territorial disputes and Ankara's anger with Athens for failing to hand over Turkish soldiers who fled after an abortive coup last year. They came close to war in 1996 over the islets known as Imia in Greek and Kardak in Turkish.

The Greek coast guard said it fired warning shots as it was trying to inspect the ship's cargo after receiving an anonymous call. The vessel did not cooperate and subsequently moved back to Turkish waters, it said in its statement.

Broadcaster NTV reported that two Turkish coast guard ships were at the scene, and it quoted Turkey's foreign ministry as saying it was in contact with the relevant authorities.

Kalkavan confirmed the ship, which had set off from Turkey's southeastern city of Iskenderun near Turkey's Syrian border, had returned to Turkish waters. (Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu in Ankara and Renee Maltezou in Athens; Editing by David Dolan and Louise Ireland)</s>ATHENS – Greece’s Coast Guard fired a warning shot against a Turkey-flagged freighter sailing in Greek territorial waters near Rhodes on Monday, after the latter refused to stop for an inspection, Athens Macedonian News Agency says.

According to information, the warning shot was fired in a manner that did’t risk injuring the crew. The freighter is reportedly called “ACT” and sources say there was evidence it was carrying suspicious cargo. Its captain was asked by the Coast Guard to lead the ship to the port of Rhodes but he refused, increased the ship’s speed and entered Turkish territorial waters.

The Greek Coast Guard has informed its Turkish counterpart about the incident, ANA reports.

Reporting from Ankara, Associated Press said that the Turkey’s state-run news agency says the country dispatched three boats to the Aegean Sea after Greek coast guards fired on a Turkish freighter ship near the Greek island of Rhodes.

The freighter’s captain told Turkish media on Monday that the Greek coast guards approached his vessel, the ACT, in international waters, demanded that it sail to a port in Rhodes and fired on it when he refused. He said there were 16 bullet holes but the vessel was not in danger of sinking.

The Greek Coast Guard said it tried to stop the vessel following reports that it was carrying narcotics. It said the ship was in Greek waters.

Anadolu Agency said the Turkish coast guard dispatched two boats while the navy sent an assault boat to the region.</s>A Greek coast guard ship fired warning shots at a Turkish-flagged cargo ship off the coast of the southeastern Aegean island of Rhodes Monday. Reportedly, the ship was suspected of transporting narcotics.

 

 According to reports, the shots were fired because the M/V ACT freight ship did not respond to repeated calls made by the Greek coast guard. The incident ended after the ship headed into Turkish territorial waters.

 

 CNN Turk said the Hellenic Coast Guard opened fire after the Turkish-flagged ship refused to comply with instructions to dock at the port of Rhodes for an inspection.

 

 Turkish media said the incident left 16 bullet holes in the vessel and that it was in international waters, heading to Korfez in the Marmara region of Turkey from Iskenderun in the south of the country.

 

 The incident occurred as the high-level Cyprus talks at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana entered their second week. The negotiations were expected last night to grapple with the thorny issue of post-settlement security.

 

 Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said Monday that the discussion will focus on the questions posed by the UN secretary-general’s special adviser, Espen Barth Eide, regarding the security system in Cyprus, its prospects and what would happen with today’s system. “We explained, once more, that substantive discussions must take place because we are on the sixth day of negotiations and the discussion has not started.”
The Greek Coast Guard opens fire on a Turkish-flagged cargo vessel in the Aegean Sea.