Fast-acting locals and the Greek Coast Guard have averted two near-tragedies off the island of Lemnos, as fierce winds swept a Bulgarian couple and a young child out to open sea in separate, harrowing incidents.

The initiative of the locals in Myrtos in Ierapetra was touching, when they realized that the frigates of the Greek Navy were in the open.

With an attempt to ram a Greek frigate (probably "Lemnos") observing the Oruc Reis by the Turkish frigate Kemal Reis (or Yavuz) on Wednesday at noon, Ankara tried to turn the tables and further its attempts to conduct illegal surveys within the Greek EEZ.