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Gibraltar Squadron and divers renew friendships with Morocco
24 June 2026
Royal Navy divers sailed with HMS Dagger to conduct exercises with the Royal Moroccan Navy – the second time Gibraltar-based units have formally worked with the force.
A four-strong dive team and an engineer from the Gibraltar Clearance Diving Element transited the Strait of Gibraltar with their Vahana-class diving support boat.
First stop was Ksar Sghir Naval Base, followed by Tangiers Marina, where the personnel were warmly welcomed by members of the host navy.
The first day of the exercise included visits from Moroccan clearance divers onboard HMS Dagger and the support boat, where the crews demonstrated the capabilities and equipment utilised by naval personnel based in Gibraltar.
On the second day, all personnel met at Ksar Sghir Naval Base, where they were welcomed by Commodore Mounir Tamim RMN, Commandant of the Royal Moroccan Navy Diving School.
Following introductions and tours of the impressive Moroccan diving capabilities and equipment, the dive crews began briefing for their joint diving serial.
The serial was led by Lieutenant Essaadi RMN and involved two Royal Navy divers each leading a team of three Moroccan divers in using the Artemis Pro handheld sonar device to locate a missing person – represented by a weighted mannequin during the exercise.
Prepared and ready almost immediately after the brief, the divers entered the water to locate the missing person, who had been randomly positioned by a Moroccan RHIB.
We were exceptionally well hosted throughout our time and were delighted with the Royal Moroccan Navy’s enthusiasm to further develop the content of the exercise and potentially increase the frequency of our interactions. We look forward to more opportunities with our friends across the water.
Despite interference from underwater contacts detected by the sonar, the combined diving teams successfully located the missing ‘person’ within minutes, demonstrating the adaptability and skill of both nations and providing truly essential training.
Chief Petty Officer Roberts, Officer in Charge of the Gibraltar Diving Element, said: “This gave us the opportunity to build on skills and friendships developed during our first exercise, while allowing the Moroccans to test new equipment that they could potentially utilise in real-world scenarios.”
Afterwards all personnel were hosted for lunch by Commodore Tamim. Discussions took place in the company of the British Defence Attaché, Lieutenant Colonel Gareth Oosterveen, regarding how the relationship between the two nations has developed since their first meeting, and how such training events can be expanded in the future, with the eventual aim of hosting Royal Moroccan Naval personnel in Gibraltar.
Setting sail earlier than originally planned to avoid poor weather, HMS Dagger and the Vahana conducted Officer of the Watch manoeuvres and a PASSEX to conclude the visit with Royal Moroccan Navy Patrol Boat GC-133, commanded by Lt Chana RMN, after which both Royal Navy vessels returned to Gibraltar.
Lt Ryan Price, HMS Dagger’s Commanding Officer, said: “This has been a great opportunity to build connections with our Moroccan counterparts and understand each other’s capabilities.
“We were exceptionally well hosted throughout our time and were delighted with the Royal Moroccan Navy’s enthusiasm to further develop the content of the exercise and potentially increase the frequency of our interactions. We look forward to more opportunities with our friends across the water.”
Fast patrol boats Dagger and her sister Cutlass usually confine themselves to providing security and reassurance to vessels in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.