The ship departed Izmir Bay under an illegal Navtex and is expected to conduct surveys in central Aegean waters
The Turkish research vessel Piri Reis was sailing north of Lesvos, near the Turkish coastline, on Saturday morning (October 4, 2025), under close observation by Greek authorities.
The ship departed Izmir Bay late Friday night, operating under a controversial and unauthorized Turkish Navtex. Its declared route heads toward the central Aegean, where it is expected to carry out surveys in areas between Thasos, Chios, Agios Efstratios, Mykonos, Ikaria, and Fournoi.
Athens is monitoring the vessel’s movements in real time. Greek authorities had already issued an anti-Navtex in response, noting that the designated areas fall within Greece’s potential continental shelf and that only Athens has legal jurisdiction to authorize research activities in those waters.
Greek defence sources have downplayed the operational threat, noting that the Piri Reis is not equipped for deep-sea exploration and can only conduct surface-level research. They interpret the vessel’s deployment as a symbolic gesture by Ankara, reflecting political reactions to Greece’s recent diplomatic and strategic initiatives in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
The Turkish Navtex is valid until October 14. Ankara had issued a similar advisory in mid-September, though at that time the vessel did not leave Izmir Bay.
The latest move comes amid heightened regional vigilance, as both Greece and Turkey prepare for renewed discussions on maritime boundaries and energy exploration rights.
