This morning around 10:10 CEST, in the international waters north of Cyprus, there was an interaction between an unspecified number of Turkish fishing boats and two Italian fishing boats (“Giacalone” and “San Giorgio 1 °”).
The Turkish fishing boats launched materials (stones and smoke bombs) and carried out close maneuvers toward the Italian vessels, making contact with and slightly damaging one of them.
The Italian Navy frigate “Margottini” (F 592), patroling in the area 35 miles to the south as asset of NATO “Sea Guardian” operation, launched its own helicopter while a Turkish Coast Guard patrol boat, which hired Turkish boats to induce them to cease action.
TThe interventions of the Turkish coast guard and the Italian navy were clearly of a deescalation nature and permitted the restoration of control of the situation.
Neither Turkish nor Cypriot authorities made immediate comment.
(via Italian Navy)