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A Civil Guard patrol boat sailed towards swimmers on a Gibraltar beach as Britain prepared to lodge a diplomatic protest with Spain.
Video footage shot from the coast on Tuesday afternoon showed a Spanish vessel patrolling back and forth at the edge of a designated swimming area in British waters.
Eastern Beach, south of the airport in Spanish-contested territory, is packed with swimmers in the height of summer when Spanish ships frequently pass by yellow buoys.
The Gibraltar government quickly condemned the incursion, calling it a “provocative and dangerous act”.
“This incursion is also an affront and challenge to the UK’s sovereignty over Gibraltar’s territorial waters,” it said in a statement.
“Foreign law enforcement vessels operating so close to Gibraltar’s coastline pose a danger to swimmers and other beach users.
“There has been a series of incidents of this nature at sea over the past few months which can only further undermine confidence in Spain and its law enforcement agencies.”
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo added: “The actions of the Government House are contrary to international law and are a waste of fuel if their aim is to challenge the UK’s unquestionable sovereignty over Gibraltar’s territorial waters.
“The sooner Spanish politics, from left to right, realise this, the better.”
The Spanish ship’s presence, apparently without any law enforcement purpose, was seen by London as a naked provocation.
It is the latest in a series of increasingly heated interactions between Spain and its smaller neighbour, which appears to have been kicked off by England’s showdown with Spain in the 2024 European Championship final on July 14.
Many Spanish football players chanted ” Gibraltar, Spainwhich received a warm response from other parts of the country and once again sparked diplomatic tensions.
There are rumours that Spain is preparing to impose a devastating hard border on Gibraltar in November if the EU’s new entry and exit system is implemented.
Gibraltar has recently come under increasing pressure, mainly due to a dispute over British control of the isthmus connecting the peninsula to the mainland.
East Beach is located here, so Spain considers it to be sovereign Spanish territory and beachgoers swim in Spanish waters.
Although Spain explicitly ceded the town, castle and fortifications of Gibraltar to Britain, the Treaty of Utrecht did not explicitly include the isthmus, which was then an unoccupied no-man’s land in the 18th century.
Since the isthmus was not included in the cession, Spain insisted that it should be considered Spanish territory.
This undeveloped land had little strategic or economic value to either side until modern engineering made it possible to reclaim land for strategic military purposes.
Over time, Britain expanded its control over the isthmus, particularly during the 20th century when it undertook large-scale land reclamation efforts, including the construction of Gibraltar Airport.
Historically, the isthmus has provided a vital buffer for Gibraltar’s defence.
Without it, Gibraltar would be more vulnerable to territorial encroachment and military threats from mainland Spain.
The Rocks also relies on infrastructure on the isthmus for its water supply – losing that infrastructure could complicate water management.
But the Spanish government has always maintained that Britain’s presence on the Isthmus violates its sovereignty.
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