The Greek government has clarified its position following reports that vessels carrying humanitarian aid were intercepted by Israeli naval forces near Crete, stating that the incident occurred in international waters where Greek authorities have no jurisdiction to intervene.
Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis relayed the official response from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during a press briefing on Thursday. According to the statement, Israeli warships operated northwest of Crete, outside Greek territorial waters, and there had been no prior coordination with Greek authorities.
“The Greek authorities do not have the right to intervene in international waters, except in cases of search and rescue operations,” the statement noted, adding that Greek vessels remain on standby should such a need arise.
Limited jurisdiction in international waters
Greek officials emphasized that while the country is responsible for coordinating search and rescue operations within its designated Search and Rescue Region (SRR), this responsibility does not extend to law enforcement or investigative powers in international waters.
Under international maritime law, jurisdiction over vessels on the high seas lies exclusively with the state under whose flag the ships are registered. As a result, Greek authorities could not take further action once it was confirmed that no distress situation existed.
Response to distress signal
Authorities reported that a distress signal was initially received from one of the vessels involved, prompting an immediate response from the Hellenic Coast Guard. A patrol boat was dispatched to the area, located more than 60 nautical miles west of Crete.
However, upon communication with the vessels via radio, their captains stated that they were not in danger and did not require assistance. This effectively limited the scope of any further Greek involvement.
Developments at sea
According to official information, approximately 55 vessels from the flotilla had been sailing in international waters south of Crete, alongside four Israeli warships. Greek patrol vessels remained in the area in a monitoring capacity, ready to assist if necessary.
Later updates from Israeli authorities indicated that 17 vessels had been abandoned and were adrift, while their occupants had been transferred to Israeli naval ships and were reported to be in good health. The number and nationalities of those on board were not disclosed.
Greek authorities stated that further checks would be carried out to verify the status of the abandoned vessels, after which a navigational safety notice would be issued to inform passing ships.
Diplomatic communication
Greek and Israeli foreign ministries have been in contact regarding the incident. Officials confirmed that Israeli naval units have already begun withdrawing from the area and returning to base.
