The captain of a Turkish freighter claims a Greek coastguard vessel opened fire in the Aegean Sea after he refused to dock at a Greek island.

The captain says his vessel suffered 16 bullet holes after he refused to dock at the island of Rhodes for inspection.

Greek authorities say warning shots were fired but maintain no bullets reached the freighter.

They say they had intelligence that required the ship to be searched.

The captain of the freighter did not say why he did not want the vessel inspected.

The ship carried on towards Turkish waters.