The Greek coast guard on Saturday released video footage showing what it called an attempt by two Turkish patrol boats attempting to shepherd an inflatable craft loaded with would-be migrants into Greek territorial waters off the northeast coast of Lesvos (Mytilene).
The Greek coast guard on Saturday released video footage showing what it called an attempt by two Turkish patrol boats attempting to shepherd an inflatable craft loaded with would-be migrants into Greek territorial waters off the northeast coast of Lesvos (Mytilene).
Greek vessels were dispatched to the scene, while authorities repeatedly attempted to contact their Turkish counterparts and the crews on the patrol boats over the apparent people smuggling attempt.
The Greek side said the flimsy inflatable craft was not allowed to enter Greece's territorial waters, with a Turkish vessel finally taking aboard the passengers of the craft and returning towards the Turkish coast.
The incident follows an overnight riot and violence in the early morning hours of Saturday by asylum-seekers and irregular migrants housed at the Vial camp, on the eastern Aegean island of Hios (Chios).
Fires at the camp destroyed a number of makeshift dwellings there, as well as other infrastructure. Third country nationals rioted after a 47-year-old woman from Iraq died.