A new mission into Athens FIR for a Turkish Navy aircraft.
Around 14:00 CEST a Turkish Navy aircraft, probably an ATR 72MPA (callsign MARTI50, reg. TCB70?) left Dalaman southbound. After few minutes the aircraft entered into Athens FIR (flight information region) north east of the Island of Rhodes.
The plane continued its flight over the southern Aegean and then veered north. For nearly three hours the aircraft flew from south to north over the Aegean Sea (FL1450, however, avoiding entering the Greek air space.
Around 17:00 CEST the ATR left Athens FIR north of the island of Lesvos.
These types of missions, referred to by Athens as provocations, are usually carried out without the authorization of the Greek air controllers.
Well, I am a Greek civilian ATCO. These flights are always illegal. They enter controlled airspace without clearance and without a flight plan. Often they fly into Hellenic airspace and violate control zones posing a threat to commercial traffic. They are usually intercepted and driven out of Athinai FIR.