Greek Coast Guard fires warning shots against migrant boat

Greece’s Coast Guard said on Tuesday it had fired warning shots against a vessel which it said was carrying migrants from Turkey to Greece.

The incident took place at about 3.40 a.m. on Tuesday, when a private boat with an unspecified number of passengers attempted to sail towards the island of Rhodes.

The Hellenic Coast Guard said its officers "fired warning shots at a safe section of the [migrant] boat.” The vessel then slowed down its speed and returned to Turkey.

In its own press release, the Turkish Coast Guard said that when it arrived at the scene of the incident, the Greek Coast Guard vessels had left and that the rubber bullets had injured three passengers – two Turkish nationals, one of which seriously, and one Syrian.

All three where then transferred to a state hospital in Marmaris for treatment.

It also said that the migrant boat sank after taking in water.