Yet another serious incident involving Turkish military activity in the eastern Aegean was reported on Monday evening, with a Turkish helicopter reportedly approaching the tiny Greek islet of Ro just before midnight while flying without navigational lights.
The gravity of the incident was demonstrated by the fact that national guardsmen manning a small military outpost on the isle fired trace rounds in the air as a warning.
The chopper then turned around and headed back to the Turkish mainland.
According to media reports in Athens, the incident occurred at 23.30 (21.30 GMT), with initial estimates pointing to a Turkish coast guard helicopter.
Ro lies near the more populous island of Kastellorizo, which itself is located just off the tip of southwest Asia Minor, across from the Turkish resort of Kas.
Nevertheless, hours later the Turkish mass daily Hürriyet quoted sources in the Turkish prime minister’s office as denying the incident.
A respective reaction from the Greek prime minister’s office, also unnamed, merely stated that there was no airspace violation, “we (Greek side) merely acted pre-emptively (with the warning shots).”
