Ship ‘sails through Gibraltar waters playing Spanish national anthem’

Spanish warship ‘sails through British waters off Gibraltar playing the country’s national anthem’

• Spanish warship filmed in British waters off Gibraltar on Tuesday morning
• Video posted to Twitter appears to show it playing the Spanish national anthem 
• Fisherman Nicholas Karnani called it an ‘invasion of British territorial waters’
• Incident comes as Spain and Britain feud over future of The Rock amid Brexit

A warship has been filmed sailing through British waters off the coast of Gibraltar while playing the Spanish national anthem. 

Fisherman Nicholas Karnani was sent the video by another sailor on Tuesday before uploading it to Twitter, where it caused outrage.

Karnani described the incident as an ‘invasion of British Gibraltar territorial waters’ and demanded the UK government ‘take action in defence of its people’. 

Nicholas Karnani, a fisherman in Gibraltar, uploaded a video of what appears to be a Spanish warship sailing through British waters playing their national anthem

The footage shows a ship, believed to be Spanish corvette Infanta Elena which was converted into a patrol boat, sailing past The Rock. 

As the ship goes past, a much smaller Royal Navy escort trails a distance behind.

Through the sound of wind, the Spanish national anthem can be heard playing.

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It is thought the video was filmed some time on Tuesday morning, though the exact timing is unclear. 

Mail Online has contacted the Foreign Office for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.

Ship tracking data shows a vessel with designation P76, which is linked to the Infanta Elena, did cross into British waters off Gibraltar this morning.

Karnani described the incident as an ‘invasion of British Gibraltar territorial waters’ and demanded the government ‘take action in defence of its people’

Ship tracking data shows a Spanish patrol boat with designation P76, meaning the Infanta Elena, entered British waters off Gibraltar today

However, sources on the island were unable to verify whether the boat had been playing music when questioned by Mail Online. 

The news comes amid wrangling between Britain and Spain over the future of Gibraltar and Brexit negotiations.  

Madrid had threatened to boycott a meeting of European leaders to approve Theresa May’s Brexit deal until she gave assurances that any future trade deal would not automatically cover Gibraltar. 

Michael J Sanchez, founder of OpWest which monitors naval movements in Gibraltar and the Strait of Gibraltar, told Mail Online of his anger.

He said: ‘People here are very irate that the government has not taken positive action to deal with scenarios like this.

‘This is the 26th incursion into our waters so far this year, although the first with the national anthem nonsense.’

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