January 29, 2016 - 11:54 AMT
Turkish fighter jets violate Greek airspace again

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos was flying over the Imia islet to lay a wreath on the place where three men of the Hellenic Navy lost their lives, while two Turkish jet fighters were flying overhead, violating Greek airspace, according to the Greek Reporter.

The minister was commemorating the 20th anniversary of the dangerous confrontation between Greece and Turkey over the two uninhabited islets that belong to Greece, but Turkey had raised territorial claims at the time.

While Kammenos was over Imia on a helicopter to drop the wreath to commemorate the three men, two Turkish fighter planes violated Greek airspace flying over Kalolimnos island.

According to a statement released by the Greek Ministry of National Defense on Thursday, January 28, “a pair of Turkish F-16 entered the FIR and flew over the island of Kalolimnos at 26,000 feet.”

The Turkish F-16 remained in Greek airspace for about one minute and at 10:46 they exited the Athens FIR. According to the statement, the Turkish aircraft were identified and intercepted in line with international rules and established practice.