In a recent parliamentary written response, it has been revealed that Spanish naval vessels have been recorded in Gibraltarian territorial waters on 11 occasions over the past six months.
Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford, posed a question to the Secretary of State for Defence regarding the frequency of such occurrences. In response, James Heappey, Minister of State for the Ministry of Defence, detailed the monthly breakdown:
“The Ministry of Defence has recorded the presence of 11 Spanish naval vessels in Gibraltarian territorial waters in the last six months.”
The monthly breakdown is as follows:
- April: 2 incidents (1 Innocent Passage, 1 Surface Incursion)
- May: 2 incidents (2 Innocent Passage)
- June: 2 incidents (1 Innocent Passage, 1 Surface Incursion)
- July: 2 incidents (2 Surface Incursions)
- August: 2 incidents (2 Surface Incursions)
- September: 1 incident (1 Surface Incursion)
In the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), “innocent passage” refers to the right of a ship to pass through the territorial waters of another country, provided the passage is not prejudicial to the peace, good order, or security of the coastal state.
Territorial waters extend up to 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal nation, and within these waters, the coastal state has sovereignty. However, UNCLOS recognizes that ships of all states, whether coastal or landlocked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through territorial seas.
For a passage to be considered “innocent,” it must not be harmful or threatening to the coastal state.
Gibraltar is an iconic British territory and has been for over 300 years. In the interests of objectivity, I try to imagine an historical Spanish enclave in, say the east coast of Britain. What would we think? My feeling is that the British government and people would be more tolerant and less bellicose towards Spain without necessarily liking the situation. There are some good analogies-the French tolerating the Channel Islands and the French islands on the east coast of North America. As to the incursions, well not really a serious problem are they, but I think the relationship was probably… Read more »
I’ve said this many times, at the end of the day, what are Spain achieving?
We still have use of a strategic location, be that the RAF Airfield, the naval base, the MDC, subterreanean areas, or the intelligence stuff that goes on there.
Unless the Spanish ships are a direct threat to safety I wouldn’t escalate any further beyond the usual formal objections. It’s all a game, they will still sail through, and it changes nothing.
Well said Daniele!
stuff that. Arrest that spanish boats and escort them in to Gibraltar to be guarded.
Do you live near there?
Sink them! With a mighty OPV
Sink ’em!!⚓⚓😅😅😅
Base flotilla there a proper Gibraltar station with a T31, a river and a sweeper, Captain mainwaring and the home guard maybe a squadron of Sopwith camels for the RAF.
😆
We should sink one. That would put a stop to it
😆Standard David procedure.
ONE sink the lot nelson would
You haven’t read, or possibly understood Spanish-English armada engagements specifically those during first Elizabethan reign. We actually lost.
That would just anger the Spanish more than they already are, and cause all out war.
They’ve always wanted Gibraltar ‘back’ from.over 300 years ago
They should have read the small print on the treaty of Utrecht. It’s British and will always be.
Till the next weak government, then the sovereignty of both Gibraltar and The Falklands will be discussed under reducingDefence Budget! Despite the fact that BOTH populations have voted to STAY British🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧
Their own fault that they lost it and like the Falklands they’ll never get their greasy paws on it
Pure playground stuff.
At a time when everyone in NATO should be focussed on helping Ukraine’s battle with the bear the Spanish are playing games.
All the Spanish have to use against the people of Gibraltar, is the border when Franco closed it in the 60’s, it made the rock a very unhappy place to live in
think you are wrong there,gibraltar was the happiest and safest place in the world when the border was closed .not a sad place at all.
Why don’t we imagine a historical Spanish enclave in say, Ceuta or Melilla, well we do not have to imagine, because these are territories of Morocco occupied under historical occupation and rule. The Spanish, under international pressure gave back some of the Sahara to Morocco, jolly decent of them, but refuse to give back these territories despite the anger of the Moroccan people. The irony that Spain continue to moan about the rock, but undertake a similar occupation is just hypocrisy. If you have ever been to Ceuta, it’s like a fortress with the Spanish military doing everything they can… Read more »
Here is the solution. GB gives back GIB to Spain and Spain gives back Ceuta and Melilla to Morocco. JOB DONE?
You know Jose, if it helped to stop the Spanish from moaning, I’d say yeah, give back what the Spanish officially signed over and gave the British. I have a sneaky suspicion, if we gave it back, the Spanish would still find something else to moan about between siestas.
Hi Dan-I am well aware of Ceuta and Melilla and have long been fascinated by Spain’s hypocrisy but closer to home, was wondering how we would feel if Spain had a small estate on our coast and as I said I think we would be more tolerant.
Regards from Durban
The Spanish don’t want to talk about cuelta, it exposes their hypocrisy of the Gibraltar issue. It’s like the Liverpool song, it’s never our fault’.spain needs to get real.
Splat them. Like flies
The Spanish gave Britain Gib under the treaty of Utrecht so it is not theirs…. by their own signature it is British.
Should have read the small print
Rob-much like the Treaty of Versailles, they would argue it was under duress.
Gibraltar has been badly done to in the last 15 years, with the continued draw down to the military on the rock. People who live there are concerned about the negligible visiting from the navy. Hostelries know throughout the fleet of today and years past would find the place changed beyond recognition. I’d love to see the basing of a ship on the rock hopefully a T31.many of my fondest memories of the navy were of nights in Irish town, and beach p*** ups on the beach in Catalan bay. I went to Malta earlier this year and the former… Read more »
Bi-product of our shrinking Navy, Andy. Your generation of the RN saw much of the last and best days no doubt. we haven’t seen the RN in Durban for about ten years. The last ship to visit us was either HMS Echo or Enterprise-can’t remember which! 😁
Which you kayaked up to!
😂😂 So you have heard that story before😉
Sad indeed ☹️. Good memories of Gib n Malta 🇲🇹. Could write a book on the Gut, if only I remember! 🤔🙄😕, nope. Too much Marsefan.
👍.
Them days have long gone in beloved Malta 🇲🇹 best place ever.
Well the good news is when Labour come to power they will put an end to all of this, simply by handing over Gibraltar to the Spanish
Rishi’s parrot is regurgitating its bull shit again in the run up to the election. It’s scary that these people have the right to vote…
Richard Edward wrote: Rishi’s parrot is regurgitating its bull shit again in the run up to the election. It’s scary that these people have the right to vote… I see you’re back throwing abuse as only you can. Look I said I was sorry for slipping your other half a crippler , but to be fair you did come up to me first wearing a dress and asked me my name. How was I know you would take it personal when I replied “Unlucky” Anyway how is your wife with my kids, I take it the fact she had 2… Read more »
You always know wher to find a troll, you just have to follow the grooves in the pavement where they drag their knuckles.
Can I tag along? I love to watch pub fighting
Marked tells us he do not like that people vote.
👍
Why should we even entertain the idea when the Gibraltareans don’t want it & Spain has two equally contested enclaves in Morrocco it has no intention of ever giving up?
Frank,
I was been sarcastic, but my point about labour is based on how Blair and Jack Straw looked into handing over Gib to Spain in which to integrate the U.K. deeper into the EU.
I’ll always be thankful that Corbyn was ditched
What is this based on please?
And the Falklands to the argies
It was reported yesterday, that the Gov is getting ready to hand over Diego Garcia. Turns out the march to do so came about because the Uk ended aid to Mauritius and they angry and in hock to China set about punishing the Uk
Hypocrites, ask the Spanish about
Hypocrites ask the Spanish about Ceuta and Melilla! Plus some ROCKS!
Nothing new really Spaniards been Disrespectful 😎 🇪🇸 But it’s ours 💂 🇬🇧
Hmm isn’t a Spanish company building ships for RN?
Oh yes have got work on our new RFA vessels , at end of the day it’s business and money for there work force and economy .But they will play silly when it comes to rules.Why we give them them work who knows HMG won’t say Boo .😷
I still occasionally forget above their enclaves in Ceuta & Melilla. Gibraltar should never and will never be Spanish so long as the will of the population is to remain British, but they haven’t even got the bare bones of an argument all the while they merrily keep overseas territory!
Never read the small print on the treaty of Utrecht
What I don’t get is how Spain is able to have a historical territorial claim and still be a member of NATO.
Are they saying they only started caring about Gibraltar after joining?
It’s a very fair point.
All U.K. needs to do is cycle more of a navy presence through Gib, to let the Spaniards know we are still serious about the rock, and it’s people and it’s importance.(sadly U.K. skeleton navy just not strong enough anymore)
Have they seen what Gibraltar looks like? why would they want it back
We should consider having a ship forward based there really what better place for access to east Africa and the Med, it’s also a great place to visit and sail around…with some interesting conditions.
As for the incursions who really cares.
We do. HMS Trent River B2. From there she covers the Med and down the western African coast.
I did not realise Trent was forward based in gib, completely overlooked it. Cheers.
Really, guys? Do we not get enough with Turkey, a supposed NATO member, doing anti-NATO crap?
It’s not enough that Canada is picking a fight with India, at one point both Commonwealth countries?
Does the United States have to come in and use the pimp hand?
To be fair, the ‘incursions’ by the Spanish were no doubt duly noted, and left at that. I don’t suppose the ‘Gibraltarian British’ give a fig about it. Whereas an Essex tory was clearly agitated by the devilish infiltration, of British Sovereign territory! The damned impertinence of the rascals. The Spanish ambassador should be summoned, and given a damn good thrashing. Not! On a much more serious note… It appears that the Government is going to cave in, and hand back British Indian Ocean Territories (primarily Diego Garcia) to Mauritius. What Mauritius (which is 1,344 miles from Diego Garcia) wants… Read more »
I think the US might have something to say about China or Russia being at DC considering the facilities they have there. I’d expect things to happen behind the scenes and HMG to come to some agreement with Mauritius that maintains the facilities for US use.
I suspect that’s a bit overblown as as it’s coming out of BJs mouth I would wait to look at the details…in reality with the ICJs ruling in 2019 and what everyone knows was an appalling treatment of the islanders we were always going to have to do something…..we cannot be the champions of international order if we just go” well it’s only a few islanders”…. What I suspect will come out of this is potentially there will be: 1) a joint sovereignty agreement 2) maintaining UK sovereignty over the base and land around it. 3) a really big bung… Read more »
If the spanish want Gibraltar back so desperately then maybe they should give the canarys back to Africa which are nowhere near the spanish mainland
Sail H.M.S.Duncan into Spanish waters as escort for Aircraft carrier Prince of Wales and both drop anker one mile from Spanish mainland and stay there until the stupid Spanish get the message