President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that any attack on a Turkish ship exploring for oil and gas in the Eastern Mediterranean waters would incur a “high price” and suggested Turkey had already acted on that warning.
“We said that if you attack our Oruc Reis you will pay a high price, and they got their first answer today,” Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara without giving details.
The Oruc Reis vessel started work on Monday accompanied by Turkish warships.
Erdogan’s statements were interpreted by local analysts as a bid to fan unconfirmed allegations in Turkish media that the Hellenic Navy frigate Limnos suffered damage after colliding with a Turkish vessel.
French and Greek warships in joint naval exercise in Eastern Mediterranean (video)
Source: Kathimerini,Reuters