Sep 03 - Spanish Agencies Involved In More Incursions
A Spanish SVA patrol boat and helicopter again entered Gibraltar waters and airspace in the early hours of yesterday without making contact with the Royal Gibraltar Police and HM Customs in Gibraltar. The Government, reacting to the news, said that this “flies in the face of the assurances which were reportedly given by Spain to the United Kingdom and the need to ensure fluid communication and cooperation between the law enforcement agencies of Gibraltar and Spain.”
This latest incident took place in the area of Western Beach with the SVA assets chasing a small Zodiac type inflatable craft. The chase continued outside BGTW into Spanish waters. The helicopter came in and out of Gibraltar airspace on several occasions over a period of 45 minutes in the Western Beach area and again on the Eastern side.
This is the third incident in recent weeks involving the SVA. On 9 August an SVA helicopter hovered close to the beach at Sandy Bay and that on 22 August the SVA fired shots at Gibraltarian anglers inside BGTW. This was subsequently admitted by Spain.
A statement from Number Six concluded: “The Government had predicted that the value of the assurances which had reportedly been given by Spain to the United Kingdom would be best measured against the actions of Spanish state agencies. This latest incident, which has once again seen a lack of communication and information, suggests that nothing has changed. It shows a characteristic failure to live up to agreements which we hope will not continue.”
(Pic: SVA incursion November 2014)
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