October 31st 2010
Britain has made an official complaint to Spain about ignored warnings on the Gibraltar’s waters. Britain’s vessels were having anti-terrorist exercises when Spanish ships came close to the heavily armed warships, having ignored the warnings.
The situation took place on the evening of 1st June. The 52ft Spanish Rio Tormes headed towards the British vessels. Despite requests from the British side, the Spanish refused to identify themselves.
The Rio Tormes usually aims to stop drug smugglers and illegal immigrants from reaching Spain from north Africa. British military officials said the Spanish ship risked being “blown out of the water”. A Navy source said: “Racing towards a well-armed warship is madness. It’s irresponsible and incredibly risky.”
A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said safety was the most important issue there. He also added that the problem has been directed to the Spanish government.
Spain refuses to recognise that the waters outside Gibraltar are British. Britain was given Gibraltar and the waters around it in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht, but Spain has said it will never renounce its claim to sovereignty.
