Turkish survey ship spotted off western Cyprus

Turkish survey vessel Barbaros was spotted off the western coast of Cyprus on Wednesday, after Ankara issued a navigational telex the previous day expressing its intention to conduct gas exploration inside Cyprus’s exclusive economic zone through February 1.

The Barbaros was in an area 70 nautical miles off Cyprus, between Paphos and Crete, a day after Washington urged Turkey to refrain from actions that could further exacerbate tension in the Eastern Mediterranean.