ATHENS – Greece’s Coast Guard rejected allegations of pushing back refugees off the island of Lesbos that were made by Turkey’s Defense Ministry which posted a video it said proved it had been done.

That was posted on the site X which the ministry said showed a drone capturing a  Greek Coast Guard operation pushing a boat full of refugees back into Turkish territorial waters as the two sides continued a battle of claims.

“Our Coast Guard command was immediately informed and the immigrants in question were rescued by the coast guard boat that arrived in the area,” the Turkish Defence Ministry said, reported Reuters.

https://www.reuters.com/world/greece-denies-turkeys-accusations-it-pushed-migrants-into-turkish-territory-2024-07-22/

A senior Greek Coast Guard official not named responded that, “This is in no way a pushback, it is detection and prevention of illegal entry into Greek territorial waters,” indicating it was legal.

Greece, one of the gateways into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, has been accused by activists and major media of pushing back refugees at sea and the land border with Turkey.
Greece, which said it’s trying to keep out refugees, rejected the allegations while the Coast Guard is being investigated for its role in a 2023 refugee ship sinking in international waters blamed by survivors on a Coast Guard vessel trying to tow it.

The incident came with Greece and Turkey in a period of calm and detente that has ratched down tensions and marked the 50th anniversary of Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus, which Turkey said was a peace operation.