Turkish naval vessel harasses cable-laying ship in the Aegean Sea

On May 13, 2026, the cable-laying vessel Ocean Link was harassed via radio by a Turkish warship while performing work in international waters between the islands of Astypalaia and Kos. The Turkish vessel claimed the area was under Turkish jurisdiction and demanded the ship's departure. The Ocean Link was operating with permits from Greek authorities and a valid NAVTEX 471/26 issued by the Heraklion station for the OTE Sea-Spine high-speed submarine backbone project. The Greek frigate Adrias, which was patrolling the vicinity, intervened by transmitting a signal asserting that the area falls under Greek jurisdiction and that the Turkish vessel was operating outside its own jurisdiction. Following the intervention, the harassment ceased, and the Ocean Link continued its scheduled operations. The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is currently evaluating the incident. This marks the third reported instance of similar interference against vessels performing telecommunication cable work in this region.