Turkey extends Navtex for Oruç Reis vessel in eastern Mediterranean

Turkey extended the seismic survey work of its Oruç Reis ship in disputed waters in the eastern Mediterranean until Nov. 4, CNN Türk said on Saturday.

Turkey said in a naval maritime notice, Navtex, that Oruç Reis, along with two other ships, the Ataman and Cengiz Han, will continue work in an area south of the Greek island of Rhodes until Nov. 4.

Turkey redeployed its seismic survey ship, Oruç Reis, to Greek-claimed territory near Kastellorizo last week, stoking tensions in the region. It had suspended a previous mission to lay the ground for bilateral talks backed by the European Union, agreed in late September.

The Oruç Reis was sailing more than 85 kilometres from Kastellorizo in the early hours of Sunday, according to marinetraffic.com, which tracks international shipping. It had approached to within 20 kilometres of the Greek territory earlier this week.

Political and military tensions between Greece and Turkey intensified last week in a three-month dispute over territory after Turkey sent Oruç Reis back into Greek-claimed waters between Cyprus and Crete, sparking calls from Athens for EU sanctions