Islands

As the Covid-19 tidal wave sweeps across the planet, the Greek islands are riding out the storm like virus-free life rafts. We didn't think that it was possible, but these little parcels of paradise have become even more irresistible.

A German academic who was sailing in the Aegean Sea on his catamaran when the pandemic had entered Europe has been stranded in the middle of the Aegean Sea since both Turkey and Greece closed their borders.

An earthquake measuring 4.2 on the Richter scale occurred in the sea area near the southeastern Aegean island of Kasos today early Monday at 3.53 a.m.
According to the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens, the quake's epicenter in an underwater area 11 kilometers southeast of Kasos.

Authorities have begun the demolition of 22 illegal buildings on Makronisos, a 20-square kilometer island off the eastern Attica coast that is listed as a historic site and which was used as a place of exile for political prisoners from the 1940s to the 1970s.

A Greek-flagged chemical tanker with a crew of 22 has been attacked by pirates in the Gulf of Guinea off western Africa, the ship's management company said Thursday.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Two pairs of Turkish fighter jets flew over the Aegean islets of Ro, Farmakonisi, Leipsoi and Arkioi on Wednesday without authorization.

According to an announcement from the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA), one pair of Turkish jets flew over the tiny islet of Ro at 1.03 p.m. and 1.11 p.m. at an altitude of 23,000 and 5,000 feet respectively.

A French oceanographic vessel, licensed by Athens, is planning to conduct research in an area stretching from the southern Ionian Sea to a spot east of the island of Crete from early March until mid-April.

The area in question has been included in a controversial maritime border memorandum signed between Turkey and the Tripoli-based government in Libya. 

The Turkish coast guard reportedly harassed vessels of the Greek port Authority and military as they prepared on Tuesday to collect migrants and refugees on board a dinghy near the islet of Strongyli off the coast of the southeastern Aegean island of Kastellorizo.

Defence Minister Nikos Papagiotopoulos denied the public statement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Athens agreed with Ankara not to approach the Imia islets on the anniversary of the 1996 dispute over their sovereignty brought the two countries to the brink of war.

Erdogan's remark triggered a political backlash in Athens.

Three earthquakes kept residents in eastern Crete and the nearby islands of Kasos and Karpathos in the southern Aegean on alert in the early hours of Friday, though the tremors were moderate and did not cause any damage.