Turkey sends second drilling ship to eastern Mediterranean

Turkish naval forces is seen docked in Istanbul, Turkey on 5 October 2018 [Muhammed Enes Yıldırım/Anadolu Agency]

Turkey has sent a second deep-water drilling vessel, Yavuz, to drill for oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Dönmez said Yavuz’s first mission will be to dig a well off the Karpas Peninsula in the northeast of Cyprus.

“The Greek Cypriot administration can not make a decision, or even have a say, on any matter related to the entire island,” he said.

Last month Turkey sent the first drilling vessel Fatih to the area amid rising tension with Greece and Cyprus.

Last week, Cyprus issued arrest warrants against the Fatih crew members for violating “Cypriot territorial waters.”

The EU has threatened to impose sanctions on Turkey if it does not stop “illegal” operations off the coast of Cyprus.

READ: Turkey to establish naval and air bases in Northern Cyprus

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