A fresh incident in the waters surrounding Gibraltar has divided the commission set up to broker a deal between Spanish fishermen and The Rock. The two sides are due to meet again on Friday after a Monday deadline expired, but some ship owners have declined the invitation.

The Spanish vessel Divina Providencia, which was ejected from the disputed area earlier in July, overnight on Sunday once again fell afoul of a Royal Gibraltar Police patrol, which has been accused of harassing the fishermen. Gibraltar overturned an agreement allowing fishing in the area in March, citing abuses of European environmental law.

Pedro Maza of the Andalusian Federation of Fishing Associations said the Civil Guard would begin again to accompany the fleet into the area, warning that "there will be problems."