The Government has said it “strongly condemns” the incursion into Eastern Beach of a Spanish civil guard patrol boat yesterday afternoon. 

A statement from the Government follows below:

The presence of a foreign law enforcement vessel so close to the shoreline of Gibraltar represented a danger to swimmers and to other beach users. 

The incursion is also an affront and a challenge to the sovereignty of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. It can only serve to undermine confidence in Spain and in its law enforcement bodies further still, following a series of such incidents at sea over a number of months. 

The Government takes a very serious view of this latest incident and has already raised the matter directly with the United Kingdom. The action of the Spanish patrol boat is totally unacceptable and the officers on board should know better than to indulge in such provocative and dangerous behaviour. 

The Chief Minister, the Hon Fabian Picardo KC said "The actions of the GC are illegal under international law and are a waste of fuel if they are designed to challenge unquestionable British sovereignty over British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The sooner all parts of the spanish political spectrum, from left to right, realise that, the better."