Tensions escalate in the Eastern Mediterranean over submarine cable surveys

A maritime dispute has intensified between Greece and Turkey in the waters between Cyprus, Rhodes, and Crete. The conflict centers on conflicting NAVTEX alerts regarding geophysical surveys conducted by the vessel Kobi Ruegg for the 'East to Med Corridor' submarine cable project. On October 21, 2026, the Heraklion station of the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service issued a counter-NAVTEX shortly after midnight, asserting that the survey area falls within the Greek continental shelf and operates under valid Greek authorization.

This incident follows recent Turkish moves, including an earlier unauthorized NAVTEX and the approval of a maritime memorandum between Ankara and Libya by the Libyan Parliament. Athens, Nicosia, and the European Union maintain that this memorandum violates the Law of the Sea and ignores the sovereign rights of Greek islands, including Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes, to their own maritime zones. Despite Turkey's attempts to challenge the jurisdiction of the region and obstruct the project, the surveys initiated by the Joint Rescue Coordination Center (JRCC) in Larnaca are currently proceeding as scheduled.