Turkey blocks an EU mission inspection of a cargo vessel travelling to Libya

 Turkey has blocked a German military vessel from inspecting a cargo ship suspected of carrying weapons on its way to Libya.

On Sunday evening, the German frigate Hamburg stopped the Turkish-flagged cargo ship, Roseline A, as part of a European Union mission called Operation Irini.

But the search had to be abandoned after Ankara protested and denied permission for the vessel to be probed.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry denounced the inspection as "unauthorised and forceful" and says all crewmembers of the freighter were forcibly searched.

Deputy Minister Sedat Onel later summoned the Italian ambassador, the German Embassy's Charge d' Affaires as well as the EU's envoy to Turkey to formally protest the incident.

Germany has rejected Turkey's complaints and states that all protocols were followed in the mission, adding that no weapons or illicit materials were found on the ship.