"Tense exchanges" between Royal Navy and Spanish warship with "incursions" followed by a "stand-off"
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Tensions flared following a “stand-off” between Royal Navy sailors and a Spanish warship in Gibraltar.
The Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) reported that there were “tense exchanges” between HMS Dagger and an encroaching Spanish ship on Tuesday morning (September 2). They said the Cutlass-class patrol vessel “sped out with its blue lights flashing” just before 10am in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW).
“The Centinela entered BGTW out from Eastern Beach and then turned south,” they said. “For the next half hour, HMS Dagger shadowed the Spanish naval vessel very closely.
“The Royal Navy and Windmill Hill both used VHF radio to tell the Centinela it was in BGTW. The Spanish vessel replied that it was in Spanish waters, to keep its distance. The stand-off continued until the Spanish vessel left local waters.”
The Convent in Gibraltar said they were aware of two incursions by Spain’s Guardia Civil and a Spanish warship this week, adding that such incidents are a violation of UK sovereignty but not a threat to it.
HMS Dagger, alongside her sister ship HMS Cutlass, are permanently based in the British Oversea Territory and regularly patrols its waters as part of the Gibraltar Squadron. They maintain a Royal Navy presence in the region and keep Gibraltarian residents safe.
One previous Guardia Civil incident took place in March this year, with another “incursion” involving the Spanish patrol vessel ESPS Rayo occurring in August 2024. The Strait of Gibraltar, connecting the Atlantic Ocean with the Mediterranean Sea, is an extremely busy shipping lane and a hive of activity. HMS Dagger and Cutlass are tasked to make sure merchant shipping flows freely.
Earlier this month, HMS Dagger shadowed the Russian Navy corvette Boikiy, the RoRo Sparta cargo ship, and tanker General Skobelev, while they were passing Gibraltar near Europa Point.