Useful advice from The Royal Cruising Club Pilotage Foundation and cruisers in the area about current cruising conditions in the waters between Greece and Turkey. There are some 2.5 million refugees from Syria in Turkey, and many of these have traveled to the Aegean coast hoping to be able to cross to Greece and then to Europe.
The Area Commander of the Turkish Coastguard says: ‘The view of the Coastguard is quite clear. Attempts to exit Turkey and enter Greece without going through the proper channels is an illegal activity. If any vessel, whether commercial or private, takes on board any such person then that vessel is itself acting illegally, by extension. Great care is therefore needed by any vessel which is in the vicinity of vessels which may have migrants aboard. There is nightly traffic of migrants trying to get to Greece from Turkey.’ Read More
