MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK apologizes to Spain for “lack of judgement” incident in Gibraltar waters

Fast patrol boat HMS Scimitar

Giles Paxman, Britain's ambassador to Madrid has apologized after the Royal Navy fired on a buoy bearing the red and yellow of the Spanish flag during target practice off Gibraltar.

The diplomatic incident, which occurred amid mounting tensions in the sea around the British Overseas Territory, was triggered when the crew of a Civil Guard vessel reported spotting the fast patrol boat Scimitar firing at the “Spanish colors” during a military exercise in international waters.

Giles Paxman, 58, the younger brother of the BBC broadcaster Jeremy Paxman, was summoned to Spain's foreign ministry less than a month after taking up his new post as British Ambassador.

While he insisted the flag on top of the buoy used in the target practice was not in fact a Spanish flag, he apologized for what he called “a lack of judgment by the British navy”.

A statement issued by Spain's foreign ministry said: “The ambassador insisted that, however it may have appeared, it did not represent the flag of Spain. He presented his apologies for an error of judgment and the lack of sensibility shown and promised to launch an investigation and to take the necessary measures to ensure that incidents of this kind will not be repeated.”

In London, the Ministry of Defense acknowledged the striking resemblance between the Spanish national flag and the signal marker chosen for the routine exercise. Both have two red horizontal stripes separated by yellow. But a spokesman said the similarity had not been deliberate.

“HMS Scimitar was using Flag No1 during gunnery practice, traditionally chosen due to its high visibility,” said a spokesman. “However we recognize its similarity to the Spanish national flag and will use an alternative marker during gunnery practice in this area in the future.”

Gibraltar was ceded to the British under the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht but Spain has never relinquished its claim of sovereignty and refuses to accept Britain's jurisdiction of the waters that surround it.