Six Turkish warplanes conduct flyovers in E. Aegean, Athens cites ‘serious provocation’

Six Turkish air force fighter planes violated Greek air space in the eastern Aegean on Thursday, with the general staff in Athens reporting at least three flyovers of isles in the Fourni chain.
 

The six planes entered Greek airspace between the eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos and Chios at 11:02 a.m. local time. After 24 minutes in the air over the Aegean, they broke off in two separate formations: Four flew low at 5,000 feet over the islet of Makronisi, whereas the other pair rose to 11,000 and flew over Agathonisi before heading back to the Asia Minor coast.

According to reports, Athens considers Thursday’s development as a serious Turkish provocation, with Defense Minister Panos Kammenos receiving the new chief of the Hellenic Air Force general staff, Lt.-Gen. Christos Vaitsis, in his office for a briefing.