A Type 45 Destroyer will conduct a ‘Sovereignty Patrol’ of Gibraltars waters this week. HMS Diamond is docked at the territory before deploying to counter arms and people trafficking.

HMS Diamond will sail to the southern Mediterranean to join an operation aimed at countering arms trafficking and will replace the Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship RFA Mounts Bay during a planned maintenance period.

Her sister ship HMS Daring will sail on Friday to the Gulf to support US carriers launching strikes against Islamic State.

Diamond will join Operation Sophia for around two months, which is focused on tackling the human smugglers and arms traffickers who endanger the lives of innocent people.

Her focus will be on tackling the movement of arms. She will provide a picture-building capability to help enforce the UN Security Council Resolution prohibiting the trafficking of arms to Libya.

HMS Diamond’s Commanding Officer, Commander Marcus Hember, said:

“I’m proud that we will join the operation and make a contribution to tackling the movement of illegal arms around the region.”

The UK has also played a leading role in the counter-smuggling aspect of Operation Sophia and has committed to building the capacity of the Libyan coastguard, so the Libyans are better able to stop boats in their own territorial waters.

Earlier this week HMS Enterprise rescued more than 700 people while serving on the operation.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Anamaria robles
Anamaria robles
7 years ago

Just one week in Gibraltar? Pathetic!