Greek Coast Guard boat crashes into Turkish fishing boat in Çanakkale

A Greek Coast Guard boat hit a Turkish fishing boat fishing in international waters in Çanakkale. The boat, which was damaged as a result of the collision, was towed to the port in the Gökçeada district by Turkish Coast Guard Command teams.

The fisherman İlker Özdemir, known as “İlker Reis”, who defied the Greek Coast Guard when it intervened while he was fishing in the international territorial waters between the Gökçeada district and the Samothrace Island last year, went off the coast of Giraffe Rocks with his 12-meter boat called “Kızıl Elma” to fish. During this time, Greek elements hit the fisherman Özdemir’s boat with their boats. The boat was damaged as a result of the collision. Özdemir and his son Efe Özdemir, who was with him, reported the situation to the 112 Emergency Call Center and asked for help. Thereupon, 3 boats affiliated with the Coast Guard Command were dispatched to the scene. When the boat started taking in water, Özdemir and his son tried to drain the water. After the Coast Guard teams provided first aid to Özdemir and his son, who were injured when the windows on the boat broke, they towed the boat to Kaleköy Port in Gökçeada with 2 Coast Guard boats.

Greek Coast Guard teams threatened Turkish fishermen with sinking their boats

On January 31, 2023, off the coast of Gökçeada, İlker Özdemir was hunting in international waters in the Giraffe Rocks area with his two friends when Greek Coast Guard elements arrived. Greek officers asked Özdemir to return. Özdemir stated that he was in international waters and said that he called the Turkish Coast Guard teams. The Greek officers, who threatened to sink Özdemir’s boat, left the area after a while when the fishermen resisted, and one of Özdemir’s friends recorded those moments with a mobile phone. İlker Özdemir shared the images on his social media account after the incident. – ÇANAKKALE