The two have long been locked in disputes over maritime rights, the status of Greece's Aegean islands, and repeat airspace violations.

On Saturday a dangerous live fire incident in the eastern Mediterranean has served to inflame tensions further, and displays how on the brink the two countries could be to entering an active conflict, which would be the second afflicting Europe. "Turkey said the Greek Coast Guard fired on a ship in international waters in the northern Aegean Sea, marking another potential escalation of tension between the NATO countries Saturday," Bloomberg reports.

Turkish media is describing "harassment fire" which is alleged to have occurred a mere 11 nautical miles off Turkey's southwestern island of Bozcaada, and 20km from the Turkish mainland. While the vessel was not a Turkey-flagged ship (if so, it likely would have triggered a Turkish military response), but has been identified as the Comoros-flagged vessel the Anatolian, Turkey's government is alarmed given it happened so close its coast.