Armed Turkish smugglers opened fire on a Greek Coast Guard patrol boat near Lesvos. The vessel chased the smugglers into Turkish waters. 25 illegal migrants were found ashore. No injuries reported.
A serious maritime incident unfolded in the early hours of Saturday, April 12, 2025, south of the island of Lesvos, when a Turkish fishing boat carrying illegal migrants opened fire on a Greek Coast Guard vessel during an attempted interception.
The incident began after the Hellenic Coast Guard patrol boat (LS 618, “Lieutenant Commander Papadopoulos Kyriakos”) was alerted to a migrant landing near the area of Agios Fokas. Upon approaching the Turkish fishing vessel, which had already completed the disembarkation of the illegal migrants on the Greek coast, one of the four armed smugglers on board fired at the Greek patrol boat.
The Greek crew responded with warning shots fired in a safe direction, prompting the Turkish vessel to flee eastward toward the Turkish coastline. The Greek patrol boat pursued the vessel up to the Turkish territorial waters and immediately notified Turkish authorities, who intercepted and detained the boat.
Meanwhile, 25 migrants were located in the broader land area of Agios Fokas by Hellenic Police forces and were transferred to the Mavrovouni Reception and Identification Center (commonly referred to as Kara Tepe).
No injuries were reported during the incident. The investigation has been undertaken by the Central Port Authority of Mytilene.
This event marks a concerning escalation in cross-border tensions and highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Greek authorities in managing migrant smuggling activities in the Aegean Sea.