THE Gibraltar Squadron’s workouts across the Rock triggered the everlasting diplomatic stand-off with Spain over sovereignty of the waters final week.
The operation, which included a job drive made up of HMS Dagger and boats from the Royal Gibraltar Police (RGP), HM Customs and the Gibraltar Defence Police (GDP), examined their skill to ‘drive in shut formation’ across the inside harbour.
The unit then transited to the jap facet of Gibraltar, nonetheless inside British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, and carried out extra aggressive drills in looking down and nudging goal ships.
The third drill simulated defending a ‘excessive worth asset’, as Inflexible Hull Inflatable Boats from the Gibraltar Squadron and GDP defended HMS Dagger from boats of HM Customs and the RGP.
“Planning is already underway for the subsequent train which can see the models perform extra
complicated serials with the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron and Gibraltar Defence Police
seeking to start month-to-month coaching,” British Forces Gibraltar introduced afterwards.
Whereas the ‘inter op’ was hailed successful by HMS Dagger commanding officer Lt Cdr Davies, it was seen otherwise in Spain.
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The Spanish Ministry of Overseas Affairs lodged a proper grievance with the UK over the workouts, which it considers a ‘violation of its sovereignty’.
It additionally urged the UK to ‘keep away from future incursions within the space’ whilst month-to-month workouts are deliberate.
“The [Spanish] authorities systematically protests each time there’s a violation of our sovereignty, subsequently it’s nothing new and we’ll do it at any time when essential,” Overseas Minister Jose Manuel Albares mentioned on Friday.
Spain made one other formal grievance in December over what it claimed have been three separate incursions into Spanish waters close to Gibraltar in 2024, whereas it additionally complained in regards to the Eastside marina land reclamation venture.
In the meantime, the UK lodged a proper grievance over a Spanish navy airplane flying via Gibraltar airspace in October, whereas a Spanish navy vessel made an incursion into British waters in August and a Guardia Civil boat buzzed swimmers on Japanese Seashore in July.
The dispute over the territorial waters dates again centuries, however has change into significantly acute because the UK left the European Union, leaving the standing of Gibraltar in limbo.
Negotiations to include Gibraltar into the Schengen zone stay on a knife-edge, with conflicting reviews of their progress and widespread financial and diplomatic uncertainty.
