Greek and Turkish fighters collide over the Aegean Sea

[Gaius Baltar]

Continuation of the age-old conflict in the Aegean. Its interesting how they portray the incidents as "mock dogfights". Reminds me of the playful interactions between US spy aircraft and Chinese fighter pilots. Greek fighter was an F16, no mention of the Turkish plane type.



Greek, Turkish fighter jets crash
Turkish pilot pulled alive from the Aegean Sea

ATHENS, Greece (CNN) -- Two fighter jets, one Greek and the other Turkish, collided in mid-air Tuesday over international waters in the southern Aegean Sea, according to the Greek and Turkish government officials.

A Turkish government official said a Turkish pilot was pulled from the water alive, but Greek officials said their Coast Guard ships and helicopters were still searching for their pilot.

The Greek F-16 had been dispatched to intercept the Turkish jet because it had violated Greek airspace, according to the Greek Defense Ministry.

Both fighter jets were maneuvering around each other in a mock dogfight when the crash happened around 1 p.m. (6 a.m. ET) about 12 miles east of the Greek island of Karpathos, the ministry said. (Click here to see map of area)

The pilot of an EgyptAir commercial jet witnessed the incident while on a flight to Cairo, a Greek Defense Ministry official said.

The collision highlights an ongoing dispute between Greece and Turkey, both members of NATO, over the boundaries between their airspace and territorial waters.

Archrivals Greece and Turkey regularly criticize each other for causing mock fights between warplanes over the Aegean sea.

Greece's defense ministry says it daily scrambles several fighter jets to intercept Turkish jets that it claims have invaded its airspace.

The two countries, who came close to war as recently as 1996, have considerably improved ties but have not resolved territorial disputes in the Aegean Sea and over the divided island of Cyprus.

Journalist Anthee Carassava contributed to this report

Find this article at:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe...ash/index.html

[Carach]

heh..looks like they both didnt get a good end of the bargain.

[Zenith Darksea]

I really wish that Greece and Turkey would grow up. If only Greece could just get over its resentment of the Ottoman oppression and if the Turks could get over their maniacal expansionism, then we'd all be better off for it.

[Tom Paine]

I really wish that Greece and Turkey would grow up. If only Greece could just get over its resentment of the Ottoman oppression and if the Turks could get over their maniacal expansionism, then we'd all be better off for it.

And of course, if they could both get over Cyprus. That's the real issue, not the past, because Cyprus is currently divided, somewhat like Ireland. And that is not a good trick, really.

[Sétanta]

I really wish that Greece and Turkey would grow up. If only Greece could just get over its resentment of the Ottoman oppression and if the Turks could get over their maniacal expansionism, then we'd all be better off for it.

The Cyprus incident makes that easier said than done. Both countries are "mature" it is just that Cyprus drives a wedge between them.

[removeduser_487563287433]

Exciting!

[Erik]

Exciting!

Yeah, I think those pilots get themselves into those muck fights just for excitement. (that's what I would do if I were a fighter pilot).

But Greece and Turkey realy need to grow up.
IMO neither of them are worthy of EU membership until they do. (can we still kick Greece out?)

[John I Tzimisces]

(can we still kick Greece out?)

Even though the aggressor is obvious?

[Erik]

Even though the aggressor is obvious?

I don't care who the "agressor" is. (wasn't it Alexander III of Makedon who started all this? lol)
The point is that IMO the EU shouldn't be taking in countries who live in a war like state.
Next Greece is going to demand other members to take part in military actions against Turkey (another reason why we can't have a EU army)

[John I Tzimisces]

I don't care who the "agressor" is. (wasn't it Alexander III of Makedon who started all this? lol)
The point is that IMO the EU shouldn't be taking in countries who live in a war like state.
Next Greece is going to demand other members to take part in military actions against Turkey (another reason why we can't have a EU army)

Then kick out france and britain for being involved in more wars in the past 50 years than any other country in the region?

[Carach]

I don't care who the "agressor" is. (wasn't it Alexander III of Makedon who started all this? lol)
The point is that IMO the EU shouldn't be taking in countries who live in a war like state.
Next Greece is going to demand other members to take part in military actions against Turkey (another reason why we can't have a EU army)

EU army would unify, not split the involved nations.

wouldnt encourage problems like what happened today.

[Big War Bird]

I don't care who the "agressor" is. (wasn't it Alexander III of Makedon who started all this? lol)

There are no Greeks left in Greece, to paraphrase a old historian, they're all just hellenized slavs!

In the spirit reconsiliation, the Turks need to withdraw from Constantinople, ib fact all of Anatolia and march their butts back to whatever semi mystical plain they came from!

[Rhah]

According to the BBC, the Turkish Fighter was also an F16. But, i remember reading earlier (also on the BBC) that the Turkish fighter was an F-4R.
Not that it matters particularly.

As for Cyprus. The Turks should have withdrawn years ago, and should not even be considered for EU membership until they do so.

[Wulf]

Probably an F-16 for the Turks too, seeing as they have the largest fleet of them following the ol' U.S. itself.

[Rapax]

A good calling card for both their airforces, managing to collide in a mock dogfight...and the pilot of a commercial airliner saw it, must be a real crowded airspace there.

[Tom Paine]

I don't know... remember, there'd still be rivallry, and Turkey isn't a member of the EU.
Though its a good idea with some merit... but remember like everything else in the Eu it'd be bogged down in bureaucracy.

[Carach]

Though its a good idea with some merit... but remember like everything else in the Eu it'd be bogged down in bureaucracy.

that is indeed the problem...

[Tom Paine]

that is indeed the problem...

Well, that and it'd have the French and Italians... No I can't say that. I mean, it'd be run from Brussels by politicians either concerned for their own future only, far too idealistic, or with no milirtary knowledge at all, or a combination of the above. It wouldn't function, especially given interstate rivallry (a unit of French and British soldiers say)

[Carach]

Well, that and it'd have the French and Italians... No I can't say that. I mean, it'd be run from Brussels by politicians either concerned for their own future only, far too idealistic, or with no milirtary knowledge at all, or a combination of the above. It wouldn't function, especially given interstate rivallry (a unit of French and British soldiers say)

and we all know politicians leading soldiers is not a good idea

[Tom Paine]

and we all know politicians leading soldiers is not a good idea

Politicians start wars. Now a soldier does not want to fight in a war; he will do but he doesn't want to, it could kill him. A politician does not fight in a war and sees in it only a chance for glory. The Minister of Defence in this country should be an ex-military man, not a civilian. That is one of the problems with most military forces worldwide.