Armed forces on alert after ‘Piri Reis’ spotted west of Psara in international waters

Although the Turkish NAVTEX issued by the Smyrna station was promptly answered by a Greek anti-NAVTEX, the Turkish research vessel is continuing its searches, with the question of whether its mobility will escalate in the next twenty-four hours at all 22 spots it has indicated as potential search points.

It should be noted that the area designated as a search area for Piri Reis under the Turkish NAVTEX extends from Thassos to Chios, Agios Stratis, Mykonos, Ikaria, and Fourni, an action repeated for the second time in almost a month after Chevron‘s proposal for research in two sea areas south of Crete.

Following this, the Navy remains on full alert, keeping a very close watch on the movements of the Piri Reis, as well as its transit points, while Athens’ radar, in addition to the Turkish research vessel, is not exempt from the statement of the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakcan Fidan, who said over the weekend that there are agreements in the Eastern Mediterranean against Turkey.

According to Fidan, “there are alliances that are being attempted in the Mediterranean and the Eastern Mediterranean. We are looking at them and developing diplomatic measures for them. If you can’t develop diplomatic measures on certain issues, then you refer the matter to your military, to your security institutions, and more things happen. That is, you have to take the diplomatic measures you can take in advance,” the Turkish foreign minister concluded.

With an eye on exercise “Sea Wolf”

Meanwhile, the Turkish fleet is preparing for naval exercises due to the DenizKurd-I (“Sea Wolf”) exercise taking place in the Black Sea, Aegean Sea, and Eastern Mediterranean between October 6-10, having further mobilized Greek staffs for the possibility of sending a message regarding the projection of naval power in the Aegean and Southeastern Mediterranean.