Deep in the North Sea sits a rusted anti-aircraft platform that holds the title of the world’s smallest unrecognised micronation. This abandoned military fort became the center of armed takeovers, hostage situations, and international diplomatic standoffs.
It all began with a pirate radio broadcaster who decided to claim a steel fortress as his own sovereign country. The events that unfolded over the following decades involve mercenaries, warning shots, and a rogue government in exile.
The Seizure of HM Fort Roughs
During World War II, the United Kingdom constructed HM Fort Roughs, a Maunsell Sea Fort situated approximately 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) off the coast of Suffolk. Built to defend shipping lanes, the floating pontoon base was intentionally sunk on a sandbar.
By 1956, the Royal Navy had completely abandoned the facility. On September 2, 1967, Major Paddy Roy Bates occupied the fort. He ejected a competing group of pirate radio broadcasters squatting on the platform. Bates originally intended to launch his own station called Radio Essex. He never broadcasted any shows, but instead declared the independence of the platform and named it the Principality of Sealand.
The 1968 Territorial Dispute
In 1968, British workmen sailed near the platform to service a navigational buoy. Michael Bates, the son of Paddy Roy Bates, fired warning shots at the crew to scare them away. Because Paddy Roy Bates was still a British subject, he was summoned to a court in England to face firearms charges.
The presiding judge ruled that the fortress was situated beyond the existing 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles) territorial limit of the United Kingdom. Since the platform was located in international waters, the case was dismissed. The Bates family considered this legal decision to be the first instance of de facto recognition of their country.
The 1978 Armed Hostage Crisis
A severe conflict occurred in August 1978 when Alexander Achenbach, a man claiming to be the Prime Minister of Sealand, hired German and Dutch mercenaries to attack the fort. The mercenaries stormed the platform and took Michael Bates hostage.
Michael eventually recaptured the fort and detained Achenbach. Because Achenbach held a Sealand passport, he was charged with treason and held for a ransom of 75,000 Deutsche Marks. Germany subsequently dispatched a diplomat directly to the fortress to negotiate Achenbach’s release.
Modern Era and Operations
Following the crisis, Achenbach established a rebel government in exile in Germany. In 1987, the United Kingdom extended its territorial waters to 22.2 kilometers (13.8 miles), placing the platform legally within British territory.
Today, the Bates family continues to manage the 0.0004 square kilometers (0.00015 square miles) entity, operating an online store that sells noble titles and remaining unrecognized by any sovereign state.