Daily Sabah – Turkey’s Oruç Reis seismic exploration vessel left Antalya Port early Monday morning to carry out activities south of the island of Kastellorizo (Megisti-Meis) until Oct. 22, following the declaration of a 10-day-long Navtex (navigational telex) in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The vessel will carry out seismic studies in the Eastern Mediterranean together with two other vessels, the Ataman and Cengiz Han.
Maintenance work on the Oruç Reis seismic exploration vessel has been completed and it has resumed its mission in the Eastern Mediterranean, Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said Monday.
“Our vessel has weighed anchor to take an X-ray of the Mediterranean,” Dönmez said on Twitter, adding that Turkey will continue to explore, dig and protect its rights in the area.
“If there is (natural gas), we will absolutely find it,” he added.
Turkey’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun on Monday also said on Twitter: “We remain committed to a diplomatic solution and encourage all parties, including Greece, to support Turkey’s diplomatic initiatives. But there can be no negotiations if you say ‘what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is negotiable.'”
Navtex is a maritime communications system that allows ships to inform other vessels about their presence in an area, as well as other information.
The research ship is capable of conducting all kinds of geological, geophysical, hydrographic and oceanographic surveys, especially of the continental shelf and natural resource searches.
It also stands as one of the world’s top research ships, holding two-dimensional seismic operations up to a 15,000-meter (49,212-foot) depth in the sea and hold two- and three-dimensional seismic, gravity and magnetic geophysical research.
The Turkish vessel ‘s return comes a day after Turkey’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing Greece of “insincerity” for what it said was Athens’ continued actions to raise tension while declaring itself to be ready for dialogue. Among other things, the Turkish Foreign Ministry accused Greece of declaring military exercises in the Aegean Sea to coincide with Turkey’s Oct. 29 national day celebrations. Turkey retaliated by declaring exercises on Oct. 28, the statement said.
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