Giles Brown
CHIEF Minister Fabian Picardo is to write to British Prime Minister David Cameron after a Guardia Civil boat fired shots at a Jet Ski in Gibraltar.
The incident took place on Sunday at around 7pm when the Jet Ski was in the Western Bay area.
The rider, who did not want to be named, told a local website: “I decided to try out a new Jet Ski.
“I had been taking friends and family on rides and it was on one of these trips with a friend that I was fired upon at least four times by a Guardia Civil vessel.
“There was no reason for this whatsoever.”
A video, seen by The Olive Press, shows the Jet Ski being chased by the vessel and shots can clearly be heard.
The Royal Navy confirmed last night that it had challenged the unlawful incursion by Guardia Civil vessel Rio Cedena.
A spokeman said: “This appears to be a very serious incident and the government has been in close contact already with the Royal Gibraltar Police.
“The facts are in the process of being fully determined.”
The rider added: “I dread the day someone is injured out at sea in our waters because of the Guardia Civil.
“Only 10 minutes earlier I had a 10 year-old-girl onboard – can you imagine the trauma she would have suffered if she had been on the Jet Ski at the time of the incident?
“Can you imagine if she had been injured? What exactly is it going to take for the UK to ensure this doesn’t happen again?”
The Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said: “This incident, given what has now been established, is so serious that it is right that I should refer it directly to the Prime Minister.”
Many expats on the Costa, without even bothering to study the history and today’s status of The Rock, criticize Gibraltar. They are not aware of the thousand of illegal action taken on almost a daily basis against the rock and its people. There have been deaths in the past, that have not been widely reported. This was a disgraceful action, which no doubt, will go unpunished.
This incident and others have been on the rise since the election of Rajoy, they will probably carry on for years unless something brings both sides to the negotiating table determined to settle the matter. I suggest the Royal Navy sinks the next Guardia Civil vessel that enters Gibraltar territorial waters. Rajoy can’t govern his own country and thinks he’s some big fish on the international stage, well past the time he was put in his place. If Spain wasn’t in the Euro which they are so desperate to preserve nobody would listen to a word he has to say.
there will be no end to the petty argument between Gibraltar and Madrid, of which holds no benefit to Spain if they were to regain the territory as theirs apart from boosting the ego of the politicians. Maybe this is pride of self importance dates back to the 1000 years of suppression, rape and dominance held over them by a far more developed, intelligent race (the Moors
)Now they are free from that, the Spanish seem like they have something to prove but what they don’t realize is no one cares and the repatriation of Gibraltar would only cause more job losses and poverty for the local community benefiting from Gibraltar’s solid and well thought out economy. Lets think logically here and live in peace.
from the look of the youtube video i think the jetski was actually in spanish waters? and as for cecilia and the rest, before you start moaning please always refer to the old refrain those in glass houses should not throw stones. Gib has been at the centre of money laundering, smuggling – let us not forget the last bossano govt which actively encouraged the winston boys! – etc. the problem lies with both sides of course but gib and its present govt does itself no favours. Things were not this bad under Caruna when actually a lot of headway was made. look to clean up your house first before starting to through racist remarks and dirt on other EU member states.
¡La Guardia Civil son basura uniformada! Esta gentuza usa sus armas reglamentarias sin cuidado alguno. ¡Que asco por Diós!
Spanish Guardia Civil should go back to their own polluted waters and stay out of Gibraltar territory. Guardia Civil monkeys.
I take no sides in this dispute.
However, it is abundantly clear that there at least two sides to the “territorial waters” question, and that they are irreconcilable.
So that leaves with people taking sides, something that I refuse to do. Other people take a different line to mine. The evidence for that is in the above posts.
Dear Mr. Bishop. If you do not take sides in this dispute why bother to comment. If you have absolutely no idea of what UNCLOS is and which different nations signed up to as regards Territorial Waters please take the time and inform yourself and then make an informed comment.
Oh and Sr “Vladimir” It is amazing how you can actually tell that the jet ski was in “Spanish” waters by just looking at the video, presumably because you can see La Linea’s coastline? So if for example a video was taken off the Canary Islands towards the Moroccan Mainland you would know immediately too that those were Spanish waters and contained in the same UNCLOS document that says that the waters surround Gibraltar are British Territorial Waters?
And by the way Sr. “Vladimir” the translation for “refran” is “proverb” in English. What you could do is concentrate on Spain’s domestic problems and EU debts of which there are a myriad and forget trying to put up “Gibraltar smokescreens” to avert the attention of your countrymen from those other very important and pressing issues you have. Dasdivanya Sr. “Vladimir” or should I call you Paco?
Inthename, until I read your post, I had no idea that it was a condition of posting here to take sides on an issue.
Maybe I was wrong. I´m sure you´ll tell me if I was.
Vladamir. I really don’t feel inclined to answer your biased comment, only to say that, maybe you should suggest to all your friends, not to use a jet ski in Spanish seas, as it may be very detrimental to their health.
This is an example of an unbiased comment.
“Many expats on the Costa, without even bothering to study the history and today’s status of The Rock, criticize Gibraltar. They are not aware of the thousand of illegal action taken on almost a daily basis against the rock and its people. There have been deaths in the past, that have not been widely reported. This was a disgraceful action, which no doubt, will go unpunished.”
That was posted by Ceclia on: JUNE 25TH, 2013 1:30 PM
Quite correct Tony. What I have written is a fact.
Cecilia says this is a “fact”. It looks less “fact” and more opinion and conjecture to me.
“This was a disgraceful action, which no doubt, will go unpunished.” Posted by Ceclia: JUNE 25TH, 2013 1:30 PM
@Tony Bishop. How can there be two sides to the territorial waters question? The relevant international law is the UNCLOS treaty, which clearly gives Gibraltar a right to up to 12NM of territorial sea (limited under circumstances where geographically this is not possible). How it can be interpreted differently is a mystery to me, and how the Treaty of Utrecht can have any bearing is also a mystery. UN treaties come before any other treaty in international law for a start, and secondly Spain has ratified UNCLOS.
anthony,
‘ a thousand years of suppression,rape and dominance’ – where did you get that from – the Semites both Arab and Jewish were never in control of the Iberian peninsular for that amount of time and many of those ‘Spanish’ you refer to were Aryan invaders – Goths/Visigoths and Swabians who had even less right to be in Iberia.
Suppression,rape and dominance – you are of course referring to what the ‘Spanish’ did in Central and South America – what the Spanish cannot do much like the Brits is to let go of their empire mentality – both countries would be much better places if they both could.
@ Tony Bishop,
What Cecilia says are facts! However whether or not the disgraceful action will go “unpunished” is subject to what we get to hear. I doubt that any “punishment” meted out would be made public anyway. But that is my opinion. That this should not happen again, and that those in power make sure that it doesn’t, is the aim of the protests at the highest level possible.
Gibraltar seems to be subjected to whether those in power on the other side of the Frontier get out of bed with the left or right foot on a daily basis.
@Inthename. As for “which no doubt, will go unpunished” that is pure speculation, not fact at all. Nothing that is speculation about what future may or mat not hold for us cannot be presented as “fact”.
“Disgraceful action” passes as a “fact” as far as you are ?oncerned. I have news for you. It is not fact; it is opinion.
I would propose strict adherence to the Treaty of Utrecht and the waters be made an international no-mans land policed by the UN since they are disputed and do not appear to have been specifically mentioned in the treaty.End of no ifs no buts.
And to protect the Gibraltarians from further harrassment from Spain there is a clause which specifies that there should be no land frontier, that should ensure they can live in peace and avoid all contact with Spain and those horrible Spanish politicians. I think it is a win win situation.
The small matter of Gib owners of Spanish properties in Spain could be sorted in a quid pro quo with the loss of jobs for Spanish workers in Gib. I think I should apply for a job in the diplomatic service.
That would mean no Jews or Moors on fhe Rock, Carl… Good luck with that proposal