Former Miss World welcomes Royal Navy's new £5m patrol ship into the fleet to defend Gibraltar

HMS Dagger, the second of two new £5m vessels built to defend the British territory, joined the fleet during a formal service at Gibraltar Naval Base.

She now joins sister ship HMS Cutlass on patrol in the waters around The Rock.

It completes a £10m investment in new small, fast and agile patrol boats for the Gibraltar Squadron – which have repeatedly been scrambled to escort Spanish warships away from British waters.

Kaiane Aldorino Lopez, former mayor of Gibraltar and Miss World 2009, was named lady sponsor.

Sailors – their friends and families – gathered to watch the commissioning ceremony, which saw Lieutenant Simon Holden assume command of Dagger.

He said: ‘I must also draw attention to the hard work and effort that was put into the generation of HMS Dagger by the sailors, Royal Marines and soldiers that make up the Royal Navy Gibraltar Squadron.

‘Without their dedication and determination, I would not be in the honoured position I am today, and we would not be welcoming one of the most advanced patrol craft in the world into the Royal Navy.

‘For this, I am forever grateful to them and their families.’

Cutlass and Dagger are the permanent replacements for the now decommissioned HMS Sabre and Scimitar which safeguarded Gibraltar’s waters for nearly two decades.

P2000 patrol ships HMS Dasher and Pursuer have acted as the Royal Navy’s presence around Gibraltar, joining the squadron’s Pacific 24 RIBS on patrol, but Cutlass and Dagger now takeover.