With a NOTAM issued in response to the Greek NAVTEX, Turkey questions the Greek search and rescue area in connection with the attempt to rescue refugees in the shipwreck outside Rhodes.

In particular, it is stated in the Turkish NOTAM that “regarding the Greek NOTAM A4928/24, Turkey does not accept the definition of the Search and Rescue area (SAR) with reference to the Athens FIR. The area referred to by the Greek NOTAM is partly within Turkey’s Maritime Search and Rescue (SRR) area as declared to the IMO and included in the IMO global manual. Therefore, all SAR actions in the Turkish SRR must be coordinated with the relevant Turkish authorities.”

The Greek NAVTEX concerned searches within a radius of five miles from the point of the wreck, within territorial waters, 4.5 nautical miles. east of the coast of Rhodes.

In response to Turkey’s actions, Athens issued another NOTAM which speaks of a misinterpretation and falsification of the letter and spirit of the International Texts by the Turkish Authorities, pointing out at the same time that the area as described in the Greek NOTAM is within Greek territory, Greek territorial waters and Greek National Airspace where Greece exercises sovereignty in accordance with International Law.

Hellenic NOTAM reported:

“The Turkish NOTAM is invalid as it refers to search and rescue activities within the Athens FIR where the only competent Authority to publish NOTAM’s according to ICAO provisions is Civil Aviation. It should be noted that the Search and Rescue area under Greek responsibility coincides with the Athens FIR as decided at the regional Aeronautical Conferences in Istanbul (1950), Paris (1952) and Geneva (1958) which were adopted by all participating states including Turkey and ratified by unanimous decisions of the ICAO Council.

It is also registered with IMO and complies with IMO and ICAO recommendations to align search and rescue limits with the corresponding FIR. In addition, JRCC Piraeus is the only competent authority that effectively and efficiently coordinates all SAR operations within the Greek SRR area. Finally, the area as described in the Greek NOTAM is within Greek territory, Greek territorial waters and Greek National Airspace where Greece exercises sovereignty according to International Law.

As in the past, the misinterpretation and falsification of the letter and spirit of the International Texts by the Turkish Authorities regarding Greece’s responsibilities for Search and Rescue are rejected by Greece as they may lead to serious institutional and practical complications in the conduct of Search and Rescue operations. Rescue”.