Erdogan warns of "high price" if Turkish vessel attacked

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday that any attack on a Turkish ship exploring for oil and gas in disputed Mediterranean waters would incur a "high price" and suggested Turkey had already acted on that warning.

"We said that if you attack our Oruc Reis you will pay a high price, and they got their first answer today," Erdogan said in a speech in Ankara without giving details. The Oruc Reis vessel started work on Monday accompanied by Turkish warships.