HMS Sabre, a Royal Navy patrol boat, has fired three warning flares during a tense standoff with the Spanish research vessel Angeles Alvariño in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters this evening.

The vessel, which is operated by the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, reportedly navigated in a dangerous manner near Gibraltar Squadron assets in the Bay. The Royal Navy has been playing a game of cat and mouse all afternoon, shadowing the vessel throughout.

An RN RHIB has also been seen attempting to block the deployment of a sonar buoy.

History - It's Not The First Time

Although the Angeles Alvariño has been in the area since Friday, the vessel has made several incursions into BGTW over the past few years.

In July last year, the survey vessel hit a Royal Navy patrol boat with a probe in a standoff which lasted for about three hours. And, in October 2014, the then Minister for Europe, David Lidington, condemned the “irresponsible actions and dangerous manoeuvring” of the vessel.

Pic: Michael J Sanchez