GIBRALTAR: LAST JOURNEY BY ALGECIRAS FERRY AFTER SPANISH DECISION TO SUSPEND THE SERVICE

Record ID: 574523

  • Title: GIBRALTAR: LAST JOURNEY BY ALGECIRAS FERRY AFTER SPANISH DECISION TO SUSPEND THE SERVICE
  • Date: 27th June 1969
  • Summary: FERRY APPROACHES HARBOUR: NAME: PEOPLE DISEMBARK: AIRCRAFT: PEOPLE BOARD FERRY: POLICE CHECK PAPERS: GANG PLANK UP: FERRY AWAY. Initials GHB/VS/JH/SS Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 12th July 1969 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: GIBRALTAR
  • Country: Gibraltar
  • Reuters ID: LVADN9ISDHNP5T3XBJZUR00LYDGG
  • Story Text: SPAIN LAST NIGHT (THURSDAY) SEVERED HER LAST SURFACE LINK WITH GIBRALTAR AS THE 425-TON FERRY PUNTA DE EUROPA MADE THE FINAL CROSSING FROM THE BRITISH ROCK COLONY TO ALGECIRAS.

    FIFTY-EIGHT PASSENGERS, FOREIGN TOURISTS AND A FEW MOROCCANS, MADE THE FINAL VOYAGE WITH THE LAST PERSON TO STEP ASHORE AT ALGECIRAS A SPANISH GIRL.

    EARLIER, THE LAST VOYAGE FROM ALGECIRAS TO GIBRALTAR HAD BROUGHT 64 PEOPLE - MOST OF THE GIBRALTARIAN WOMEN - TO THE ROCK. SOME OF THEM WERE IN TEARS.

    A FERRY COMPANY SPOKESMAN SAID YESTERDAY THAT NO OFFICIAL DECISION HAD BEEN MADE ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE VESSELS. BUT THE CAPTAIN OF THE FERRY MAKING THE LAST TRIP - THE PUNTA DE EUROPA - SAID: "I AM PROUD TO BE DOING SOMETHING FOR SPAIN. HONOUR COMES FIRST". HE WAS CAPTAIN FRANCISCO GARCIA, WHO HAS WORKED ON THE FERRIES FOR THE PAST 18 YEARS.

    GIBRALTAR'S ONLY COMMUNICATIONS WITH SPAIN ARE NOW THE ONCE-WEEKLY B.E.A. FLIGHT FROM LONDON, WHICH MAKES A STOP IN MADRID, AND TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINKS. THE MAIL SERVICE PREVIOUSLY CARRIED BY THE TWO FERRIES CAN APPARENTLY NO LONGER BE MAINTAINED.

    THE STOPPING OF THE FERRIES IS THE LATEST OF A SERIES OF MEASURES IN SPAIN'S CAMPAIGN TO FORGE BRITAIN TO HAND BACK GIBRALTAR, SUBJECT OF A LONG-STANDING TERRITORIAL DISPUTE.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register