Turkish military aircraft carried out multiple violations of Greek airspace and air traffic regulations on Friday, including an aerial engagement involving an F-16 fighter jet, the first such incident recorded since the 2023 earthquakes in Turkey, Greek officials said.
The incident took place in the northeastern Aegean Sea, in the airspace between the Greek islands of Lemnos and Lesvos.
According to official data released by the Greek authorities, four violations of air traffic regulations and eight violations of national airspace were recorded. The activity involved a formation of two armed Turkish F-16 fighter jets, as well as two individual aircraft: an ATR-72 maritime patrol aircraft and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
The data showed that the F-16 jets were responsible for two of the violations, while six were attributed to the ATR-72 aircraft. Additional violations were also linked to the drone, the officials said.
Airspace disputes between NATO allies Greece and Turkey are long-standing, with both sides frequently accusing each other of violations over the Aegean Sea, a persistent source of tension between the two neighbours.