MoD: Navy issued 'appropriate warnings' to Spanish ship

The Ramon Margalef, a Spanish State oceanographic survey ship, entered British Gibraltar Territorial Waters on the evening of Monday 18 November and unlawfully conducted survey operations for 22 hours in violation of United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The RN Gibraltar Squadron's Fast Patrol Boats HMS Sabre and HMS Scimitar, in accordance with UNCLOS, challenged the Ramon Margalef's presence by issuing appropriate warnings and preventing the deployment of the Ramon Margalef's oceanographic surveying probe.

There was no damage to any Royal Navy or Spanish equipment or vessels and no injuries were incurred.

The actions of the Royal Navy were fully in accordance with Her Majesty's Government's commitment to uphold the sovereignty of Gibraltar with a range of proportionate responses.