Lesbos: The Moment of Exchange of Fire Between Turkish Smugglers and Port Authorities

Today (13.04.2025), the public is witnessing a serious incident that took place between a Turkish smuggling vessel and the Port Authority in Lesbos on April 11. The documented video footage from the exchange of fire shows a member of the Port Authority and captures the Turkish vessel just before it opened fire on the Greek port authorities. It was reported that a patrol boat was alerted about an illegal fishing vessel disembarking migrants near Agios Fokas, south of Lesbos. The patrol boat located the Turkish fishing vessel after it had already dropped off the migrants on the shore. As the patrol boat approached, one of the four smugglers aboard the Turkish vessel fired at the patrol boat. “Subsequently, warning shots were fired in a safe direction by the crew of the Port Authority’s patrol boat,” resulting in the Turkish fishing vessel retreating eastward towards Turkish shores, according to the Port Authority’s statement.