Turkish Coast Guard

Turkish coast guard vessels entered Greek territorial waters near the islets of Imia, in the early hours of Wednesday, Kathimerini understands.

The Turkish boats were reportedly monitored by vessels of the Hellenic Navy and Coast Guard.

According to a news report from the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, a Turkish Coast Guard boat with members of the Special Forces, approached the small rocky islets of Imia. They stayed for around and took some photos.

Turkish media on Tuesday published reports and photographs indicating that Turkish coast guard vessels had approached the Greek islets of Imia.

The Sozcu website said that a Turkish coast guard boat had come within 2 miles of one of the islets' coasts, while a Greek ship "just stood there, a mile off."

Turkish authorities on Tuesday released six men detained on Monday while on a fishing trip around the islet of Paspargo, between Chios and the Turkish coast.

The men - five Greek nationals and a US citizen - were transported by the Turkish coast guard to Cesme on Monday evening, before heading to Izmir on Tuesday morning.

Human smugglers have started using speed boats for the illegal transportation of migrants trying to reach Europe, the governor of the western Turkish province Çanakkale told state-run Anadolu Agency on March 15.

"Human smugglers always change their tactics. In the face of this, we are also trying to develop our own tactics, pushing our limits," said Hamza Erkal.

A Russian warship has traversed Turkey's Bosphorus en route to the Black Sea amid tight security measures. The warship was accompanied by two boats and a ship from the Turkish Coast Guard in addition to a police helicopter. 

At least 27 migrants, including 11 children, were killed after a boat bound for the Greek island of Lesbos capsized off Turkey's Edremit Bay on Feb. 8, the Turkish Coast Guard has said. 

The migrants had been taking a different route, as local security forces have stepped up measures to prevent more crossings from Turkey to Greece.

Greek authorities have denied any involvement in the Jan. 5 migrant tragedy in the Aegean Sea, citing reports in several Turkish media outlets to that end. 

Turkey has seized at least 13 tons of drugs in powdered form from a Bolivia-registered ship in its first-ever anti-narcotics operation in international waters near Libya's Tobruk Port. 

Turkish coast guards rescued 69 Afghan refugees off the coast of western Izmir province Dec. 21, local official sources said.

The refugees were rescued while they were trying to go to the Greek island of Chios.

Meanwhile, the bodies of two people, including a three-and-a-half year old child and a 17-year-old girl, were found off the coast of Çe?me in ?zmir province.