Russia chases off another Turkish vessel on collision course
Date
12/14/2015 8:58:04 AM
(MENAFN- Asia Times) Russian Smetlivy destroyer had to fire warning shots to stop a Turkish fishing vessel which was on collision course Sunday
The decision to relocate them closer to Crimea was caused by the complicated international situation according to a press release from the Russian Chernomorneftegaz state company that owns the platforms
While the two rigs were being moved to their new location a vessel under the Turkish flag crossed the convoy's path Monday.
'Acting in violation of regulations for preventing collisions and against the generally accepted conventions of navigation the Turkish vessel failed to get out of the way of the convoy. It approached crossways and attempted to stop its course thus creating potential for a collision' Chernomorneftegaz said in a statement stressing that the captain of the Turkish vessel operated radio silence despite requests to respond.
The incident was 'resolved' when a powerboat from the Russian coast guard and a missile cruiser came to the aid of the Russian convoy and chased the Turkish vessel off.
The company says the B-312 and B-319 rigs are worth 25 billion rubles (about US$357mn).
It is the second recent sea incident involving the Russian Navy and Turkish vessels.
On Sunday a Russian destroyer had to open warning fire as a Turkish fishing vessel sailed on a collision course towards them on the Aegean Sea and did not respond to calls from the warship.
Following the incident the Russian Defense Ministry warned the Turkish military attache about 'the possible harmful consequences of the reckless actions by Ankara against the Russian military contingent involved in tackling international terrorism in Syria.”
Turkey’s foreign minister said Ankara’s patience with Russia “has a limit” after Moscow’s “exaggerated” reaction to a weekend naval incident between the two countries an Italian newspaper reported on Monday. Reacting to Sunday’s incident on the Aegean Sea Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Italian daily Corriere della Sera thatAnkara’s patience with Russia “has a limit.”
“Ours was only a fishing boat it seems to me that the reaction of the Russian naval ship was exaggerated” Cavusoglu told the paper in an interview. “Russia and Turkey certainly have to re-establish the relations of trust that we have always had but our patience has a limit” hesaid. The incident is likely to heighten tensions between the two nations who are at odds over Syria and Turkey’s downing of a Russian war plane last month.
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