Italian Special Forces board Turkish cargo vessel to apprehend illegal migrants.

Italian special forces took control of a Turkish cargo vessel on Friday, following the detection of a group of unidentified individuals on board, some of whom were armed. The defence ministry in Rome confirmed that the operation was still ongoing. The crew of the Galata Seaways roll-on-roll-off cargo vessel alerted authorities near the port of Yalova, Turkey, after noticing several individuals, possibly armed with sharp objects, wandering around the boat. Between two and three of the individuals reportedly carried weapons.

Guido Crosetto, Italian minister for defence, stated that there were 15 “illegal migrants” on board the vessel. However, no information was provided on their origin or how they managed to get on board the ship. Crosetto stated that the priority was to free the crew and secure the vessel. The Turkish transport ministry confirmed that the vessel was travelling from Yalova to Sete, France, and was heading towards Naples before the crew detected the group of individuals.

Maritime authorities in Turkey contacted Italy and France after receiving the alert from the Galata Seaways crew. The crew locked themselves in the engine room to avoid any potential confrontation with the intruders. The special operation was launched to protect the vessel and its crew from any possible harm. Further details about the incident have yet to be released, and investigations are ongoing to determine how the individuals managed to board the ship unnoticed and for what purpose.

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