Turkish and Greek fighter planes engage in dogfight over Aegean Sea

Six Turkish aircraft, flanked by two other aircraft reportedly violated Greek national air space nine times

The Aegean remains a disputed region (JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Greek and Turkish jets engaged in a dogfight after Turkish aircraft reportedly violated Greek air space nine times.

Jets from the two countries engaged in a brief altercation over the Aegean Sea after six Turkish aircraft, flanked by two others, violated Greek national air space nine times, according to Greek media.

The eight Turkish jets, of which two were armed, were chased away by Greek interceptors.

The violations were the first since early December, after a diplomatic spat between the two nations over the region.

Greece claims 10 miles of airspace around a group of Greek islands along the Turkish west coast and Turkey recognises only six.

The majority of the close encounters and violations of air space between the two countries take place within the four-mile radius which is recognized by both.

Turkey is no stranger to aerial conflict, after shooting down a Russian jet at the Syria-Turkey border just last month.