Moroccan warships entered Ceuta waters, disabling AIS and ignoring Spanish radio calls
Moroccan naval vessels entered Spanish territorial waters off Ceuta, turned off their AIS and did not answer Spanish Channel 16 distress calls, prompting Spanish warships to intervene.
In late July, as large numbers of migrants attempted to reach Ceuta, several Moroccan warships entered the city’s territorial sea, deactivating their Automatic Identification System and refusing to respond to Channel 16 radio summons from the Spanish navy. Spanish vessels, including the patrol boat Isla Pinto and frigates such as Santa María and Navarra, tracked the intruders by radar and used visual signals to demand their departure.
A close call occurred when Isla Pinto nearly collided with a Moroccan ship during the maneuver. The Moroccan presence also involved a frigate, identified as the Sigma-class Tarik Ben Ziyad, and illegal entry of Moroccan fishing boats claiming permission from their authorities. After diplomatic protests by Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares to his Moroccan counterpart Naser Burita, and subsequent high-level military talks, the Moroccan vessels withdrew in early August. A later isolated intrusion on 13 October was deemed accidental rather than hostile.
Why it matters
The episode highlights tensions over maritime sovereignty and the risks of naval incidents in a crowded strait.
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