VARIOUS SHOTS OF CARRIER AND OTHER SHIPS AT ANCHOR OFF ROCK.




Initials JSU/VS/JF/FR



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Background: THE SPANISH HELICOPTER CARRIER DEDALO (15,800 TONS) ANCHORED IN BRITISH TERRITORIAL WATERS OFF THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR YESTERDAY (SATURDAY).

ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT BY BRITISH NAVAL AUTHORITIES, THE CARRIER WAS BOARDED BY CAPTAIN J.D. HONYWILL, COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE BRITISH FRIGATE DANAE, WHO TOLD THE SPANIARDS THEY WERE IN BRITISH WATERS.

THE DEDALO, FORMERLY THE AMERICAN SHIP CABOT, WAS COMPLETED IN 1943 AS AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER AFTER BEING LAID DOWN ORIGINALLY AS A CRUISER. IT WAS TRANSFERRED TO SPAIN AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.

THE ARRIVAL OF THE WARSHIP WAS THE LATEST IN A LONG SERIES OF INCIDENTS IN THE GIBRALTAR DISPUTE. VARIOUS SPANISH VESSELS HAVE BEEN BOARDED AFTER DROPPING ANCHOR IN WATERS CLAIMED BY BRITAIN WHICH HAS OFFERED TO HOLD TALKS WITH SPAIN ON HOW THEY SHOULD BE DIVIDED.

SPAIN REGARDS GIBRALTAR AND THE WATERS SURROUNDING IT AS GEOGRAPHICALLY PART OF SPAIN. THE SPANIARDS WANT THE ROCK TO BE "DECOLONISED" AND RETURNED TO THE COUNTRY. BUT THE INHABITANTS OF THE ROCK LAST YEAR VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY TO RETAIN THEIR LINKS WITH BRITAIN.