Royal Navy at Gibraltar, 1972.
Royal Navy at Gibraltar 1972
Tag Archives: territorial waters
Gibraltar has its apes, but Spain loves monkey business
Perhaps British fishermen could join with their Moroccan brethren and play silly buggers in the waters off Ceuta and Melilla?
Tense standoff in British waters as reef project is completed
A major operation involving Gibraltar police and Royal Navy vessels yesterday prevented Spanish fishermen and the Guardia Civil from hampering work to lay an artificial reef in Gibraltar waters off the runway.
The police and naval vessels created a maritime cordon around the locally-based tug Eliott and the barge MHB Dole as dozens of purpose-built concrete blocks were dumped into the sea. But there was high tension on the sea, particularly in the morning when the Guardia Civil vessel Rio Tormes carried out a high-speed manoeuvre close to the tug.
The Spanish launch weaved through British vessels and swerved to create a large wake, despite attempts to cut it off.
“There is no doubt that it was a dangerous manoeuvre on their part,” one source told the Chronicle. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to discuss operational matters.
That initial incident late morning was followed by chaotic scenes as two Spanish fishing boats – the Alejandro and the Divina Providencia – sailed dangerously close to the barge as it continued to lay blocks.
By this time there were three Guardia Civil boats at the scene, the Rio Tormes, the Rio Cedeña and a rigid-hull inflatable boat. The Royal Gibraltar Police, the Gibraltar Defence Police and the Royal Navy’s Gibraltar Squadron had seven boats there in total. There was a frenzy of activity as the British vessels tried to prevent the fishermen from approaching and the Guardia Civil tried to shield them, creating a volatile and potentially dangerous situation.
It was those safety concerns that eventually led to the British and Spanish vessels extracting the fishermen from the meleé.
Three high-level sources in Gibraltar, one of them closely involved in the operation, told the Chronicle that Spanish vessels assisted at this stage in order to remove the fishermen. All three sources also spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to do so openly.
In a statement last night, the Gibraltar Government said there were “conflicting reports” about the role played by the Guardia Civil.
The tussle over, an RGP vessel and a Guardia Civil vessel approached the fishing boats to speak to the fishermen, who eventually left the area.
Throughout the day, the tug and the barge continued to load blocks in port and return to the site off the runway to drop them at sea to create the reef.
They were watched by the Guardia Civil but the Spanish vessels held back, save for one incident toward the end of the day when the Rio Cedeña moved in for a closer look but was blocked by the British vessels.
“During this afternoon, the tug and barge were able to carry out their work without interference,” the Government statement said.
The Gibraltar Government said the reef would encourage marine life and help regenerate the seabed. But in marking the boundary of British Gibraltar territorial waters in that area, the line of cement blocks will also stop Spanish fishermen from raking the seabed for conch in breach of Gibraltar laws.
That fact was not lost on Francisco Gómez, the captain of the Divina Providencia.
“It’s the end of that fishing ground,” he said.
Lieutenant-General Sir James Dutton tipped as next Governor of Gibraltar
A Governor who displays some testicular fortitude regarding illegal Spanish incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters would not go amiss. Diplomatically worded communiques from the FCO don’t seem to be working.
Royal Marine tipped as new Governor
by Dominique Searle
Lieutenant-General Sir James Dutton is emerging as one of the frontline names to take on the role of Governor of Gibraltar in September.
The Chronicle understands that the appointment of a new Governor still has to be approved by the prime Minister.
Sir James Dutton was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1972.
On promotion to Brigadier he was appointed as Director NATO Policy in the MOD, responsible for NATO and Western European security policy. After the terrorist attacks in the USA in September 2001, he was sent to Washington DC as the Chief of Defence Staff’s liaison officer to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon.
He commanded 3 Commando Brigade from July 2002 to May 2004. He returned to Iraq in 2005 to command the Multinational Division (SE), based in Basra. Handing over as CGRM in June 2006 he spent a short time as COS (Capability) in the Fleet HQ. In February 2007 he was appointed as COS (Operations) in the UK’s Permanent Joint HQ.
Promoted to Lieutenant General in October 2008, he was appointed as Deputy Commander of the International Security and Assistance Force in Afghanistan from November 2008 to November 2009.
He retired from the Royal Marines in May 2010.
http://www.chronicle.gi/headlines_details.php?id=29961civilian
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