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| Spanish anti-drugs ships accused of 'completely unacceptable' incursion into Gibraltar's waters | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Spain has been accused of violating the UK's sovereignty after their boats and helicopters entered British sovereign territory in Gibraltar. | Spain has been accused of violating the UK's sovereignty after their boats and helicopters entered British sovereign territory in Gibraltar. |
| The incursions of the Spanish vessels, from the Servico de Vigilancia Aduanera (SVA) anti-drugs and money laundering squad, were called "completely unacceptable and unlawful under the international law" by ministers. | The incursions of the Spanish vessels, from the Servico de Vigilancia Aduanera (SVA) anti-drugs and money laundering squad, were called "completely unacceptable and unlawful under the international law" by ministers. |
| The row broke out after suspected drug smugglers apparently entered the waters around Gibraltar. | The row broke out after suspected drug smugglers apparently entered the waters around Gibraltar. |
| Royal Navy ships escorted the SVA vessels out of the waters, re-igniting tensions between Spain and Gibraltar, which is a British Overseas Territory and thus is under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the UK. | Royal Navy ships escorted the SVA vessels out of the waters, re-igniting tensions between Spain and Gibraltar, which is a British Overseas Territory and thus is under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the UK. |
| Spanish fishermen stage a protest over fishing rights in 2013 Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said: "We understand that the Spanish were in pursuit of vessels who may have been committing crimes." | Spanish fishermen stage a protest over fishing rights in 2013 Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said: "We understand that the Spanish were in pursuit of vessels who may have been committing crimes." |
| "However it is completely unacceptable and unlawful under the international law of the sea to enter our waters without notifying us." | "However it is completely unacceptable and unlawful under the international law of the sea to enter our waters without notifying us." |
| "These repeated incursions into British Gibraltar territorial waters are a clear violation of UK sovereignty by another EU country and we will be raising this as a matter of urgency with the Spanish authorities." | "These repeated incursions into British Gibraltar territorial waters are a clear violation of UK sovereignty by another EU country and we will be raising this as a matter of urgency with the Spanish authorities." |
| The Spanish ships are understood to have been pursuing smugglers, who were suspected to have been dropping bales of drugs off the side of a boat while travelling through British waters. | The Spanish ships are understood to have been pursuing smugglers, who were suspected to have been dropping bales of drugs off the side of a boat while travelling through British waters. |
| An SVA helicopter also allegedly flew over the Sandy Bay beach area of the island, an action which was called "extremely dangerous" by Gibraltar's government. | An SVA helicopter also allegedly flew over the Sandy Bay beach area of the island, an action which was called "extremely dangerous" by Gibraltar's government. |
| The island's authorities said Spanish forces should have asked for Gibraltar's assistance when it looked like the suspected smugglers would move into their waters. | The island's authorities said Spanish forces should have asked for Gibraltar's assistance when it looked like the suspected smugglers would move into their waters. |
| Gibraltan Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said the incursions were a display of "bravado" on the part of the Spanish. | Gibraltan Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said the incursions were a display of "bravado" on the part of the Spanish. |
| A Spanish man protests against British sovereignty over Gibraltar in 2013 The peaceful re-claiming of Gibraltar, lost by Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1704, has been the aim of the Spanish government for a long time. It is a major sticking point in generally friendly relations between the UK and Spain. | A Spanish man protests against British sovereignty over Gibraltar in 2013 The peaceful re-claiming of Gibraltar, lost by Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession in 1704, has been the aim of the Spanish government for a long time. It is a major sticking point in generally friendly relations between the UK and Spain. |
| The UK Government has said that it will never enter into an agreement with Spain on the sovereignty of the island without the consent of the people of Gibraltar. | The UK Government has said that it will never enter into an agreement with Spain on the sovereignty of the island without the consent of the people of Gibraltar. |
| This position was enforced after the 2002 Gibraltar referendum, which asked whether Britain and Spain should share sovereignty of the island. | This position was enforced after the 2002 Gibraltar referendum, which asked whether Britain and Spain should share sovereignty of the island. |
| 98.5 per cent of Gibraltans voted solely to stay under British sovereignty, with the results being received with hostility in spain. | 98.5 per cent of Gibraltans voted solely to stay under British sovereignty, with the results being received with hostility in spain. |