A British Royal Navy ship has been deployed to waters off Gibraltar to respond to an alleged violation of UK sovereignty over the Mediterranean territory by a Spanish warship.
The confrontation early on Monday came after the Spanish warship ordered commercial ships docked at a Gibraltar port to leave the overseas UK territory which lies on the southern coast of Spain.
The British media said a military warship was swiftly deployed to the area after the crew of the Spanish warship told the commercial boat to “leave Spanish territorial waters”.
The local government ordered the ship to stay at the port. It accused the Spanish warship of taking “executive action” against the commercial boats anchored on the eastern side of the Rock.
Reports said the Spanish ship sailed slowly along the Gibraltar coast with its “weapons uncovered and manned” after it was urged to leave.
A spokesman for the British government in Gibraltar…