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UK Accuses Spain Of Entering Gibraltar Waters

Britain has accused Spain of "repeatedly" unlawfully entering British Gibraltar Territorial Waters at the weekend.

The UK Government said Spanish state vessels had violated British sovereignty, apparently while chasing suspected drug smugglers off the coast of Gibraltar on Sunday.

The Royal Navy was used to escort Spain's drugs and money laundering squad out of Gibraltar waters following the confrontation.

Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire said the incident would be raised "as a matter of urgency" with the authorities in Madrid.

He said: "It is completely unacceptable and unlawful under the international law of the sea to enter our waters without notifying us.

"These repeated incursions into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters are a clear violation of UK Sovereignty by another EU country and we will be raising this as a matter of urgency with the Spanish authorities."

Spanish vessels are thought to have crossed into the waters around Gibraltar several times in the past two days.

In one incident they are said to have been pursuing smugglers who dumped bales of drugs from a high-speed inflatable boat as they entered British territory.

On another occasion, witnesses said a Spanish helicopter flew over the Sandy Bay beach area - a move Gibraltar's government called "extremely dangerous".

The Gibraltarian authorities claimed one suspected drug smuggler may have escaped because Spain failed to inform them of the chase.

The territory's Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, told Sky News the incursion was "a regretful incident in particular because one of the drug smugglers got away".

Earlier he had denounced the incident as an illegal and dangerous display of "bravado".

"I am sure I am speaking for the whole of Gibraltar when I say that we consider this has been a serious and unnecessary failure on the part of the Spanish SVA which has had outrageous consequences in respect of the violation of our sovereignty," he added.

An official from Spain's Foreign Ministry said: "The waters are Spanish. It was Spanish boats patrolling in Spanish waters to control illegal activities such as tobacco smuggling or illegal fishing."

The episode has reignited tensions over the peninsula, which has a population of 30,000 and was ceded to Britain 300 years ago - though Spain still lays claim to it.

In April last year, the Spanish ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Office after another state research vessel entered the territory's waters accompanied by a police boat.

In 2013, Spain tightened up its checks on travellers crossing the border to Gibraltar , which led to delays of several hours following a diplomatic row over an artificial reef built by Gibraltar provoking anger from Spanish fisherman.