Spain wants answers after British sub crash near Gibraltar

The incident sparked fears of both an environmental disaster and a diplomatic uproar on Wednesday, as Madrid sought answers and London sought to quell concern.

The uproar comes a day after British submarine HMS Ambush crashed into an unspecified vessel while carrying out a training session in the waters near Gibraltar.

"The ministry has asked the British embassy in Madrid for urgent explanations over the extent of the damage and all other information regarding the incident," Spain's foreign ministry said in a statement on its website.

Britain's defense ministry said the submarine was forced to stop in Gibraltar for a check-up following the collision. However, British officials said there were no major safety concerns and that no one was injured in the crash.

Environmental fears

The British defense ministry also stressed that the nuclear plant on board the submarine, which was equipped with torpedoes and cruise missiles, was undamaged.

Environmental activists in Spain said they wanted more information amid fears of a potential leak in the ocean surrounding Gibraltar.

"We don't know exactly where the collision happened, where the other vessel is, whether the vessel that collided with the submarine was a freighter, an oil tanker... We don't know whether there was a leak from the vessel," said Antonio Munoz of environmental group Ecologistas en Accion, according to AFP news agency.

The incident also threatened to trigger a diplomatic crisis, as the sovereignty of Gibraltar - a British Overseas Territory on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula - remains a hot-button issue within Spain, especially in the wake of Britain's decision to leave the EU.

blc/kl (AFP, dpa)