Ecologists from the Verdemar-Ecologistas en Acción organisation are incensed that another nuclear submarine has been spotted entering Gibraltar military port and wonder if the Spanish government "has any idea about what is occurring."

After a two-day stopover by the USS Florida, which arrived last Wednesday morning, an as yet unidentified sub was seen being towed into Gibraltar harbour this morning at around 8am.

Greenpeace condemn Rock stopover for US nuclear sub
By: thinkSPAIN
Thursday, May 8, 2008

The US Ohio class nuclear submarine, the USS Florida, arrived for a routine stopover in Gibraltar yesterday morning, prompting Greenpeace's Spanish director, Juan López de Uralde, to issue the following statement: "We demand the immediate departure of the USS Florida from Gibraltar port and a definitive and permament ban on nuclear vessels off our coasts."

In the face of similar petitions from IU and PP local opposition parties, socialist MP for Cádiz, Salvador de la Encina, has reassured the public that the sub "presents absolutely no kind of risk" to the public as it is on a "routine stopover" and does not require repairs.

The Florida is one of the US navy's fourteen nuclear-powered Ohio class submarines, which are armed with MK-48 torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.