Spanish naval patrol boat “Atalaya” entered Gibraltar waters and proceeded to harass commercial vessels that were legally anchored in the east side area.

The continuing conflict with Spain over the territorial waters of Gibraltar has now taken on an even more serious dimension following the latest incursion today by the Spanish navy. The incident is intolerable and totally unacceptable and it represents an escalation by Spain which can only be regarded as a hostile act , says the Opposition in a statement released today. Adding that it is inconceivable that a military vessel of this kind would enter our territorial sea and proceed to exercise jurisdiction in it without orders from Madrid. This can no longer be regarded, as some have claimed in the past in order to minimise the seriousness of the incursions, as a case of over-zealous civil guards in the port of Algeciras with an axe to grind or in the pursuit of drugs traffickers.

  The Opposition understands that the Spanish naval patrol boat “Atalaya” entered Gibraltar waters and proceeded to harass commercial vessels that were legally anchored in the east side area. The “Atalaya” is a 68 metre long vessel with a crew of 48. The Spanish Ministry of Defence says that it is based in the Port of El Ferrol and under the orders of the Commander of Maritime Action in that port.

  Commercial vessels in the east side anchorage were told by the Spanish military vessel that they were in Spanish waters and that they had to leave. The Opposition has been advised that the Royal Navy was despatched the scene and that they challenged the Spanish Navy and instructed them to leave British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. They left only happened after some time had elapsed.

  This is not the first time that the Spanish navy has carried out such a high profile incursion into Gibraltar waters. It will be recalled that in May 2009 the Corvette “Tarifa” lowered a RHIB into the waters of Gibraltar which then proceeded to inspect fishing boats inside Gibraltar’s territorial sea. It has been some time since the public has been made aware of such a high-profile and serious incident as that which took place early this afternoon.

  The Opposition considers that an incursion at sea must be treated no differently from one on land. If the Spanish army had entered into Gibraltar through the frontier and instructed businesses in the air terminal to pack up and leave on the basis that, according to them, they were on Spanish land, this would have caused an uproar. The latest incident cannot be regarded as being any less serious simply because it has taken place at sea.

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