Page "Strait of Gibraltar" Paragraph 12

After a lengthy period of restricted intermittent or no water exchange between the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean basin, approximately 5. 33 million years ago, the Atlantic-Mediterranean connection was completely reestablished through the Strait of Gibraltar by the Zanclean flood, and has remained open ever since.

The erosion produced by the incoming waters seem to be the main cause for the present depth of the strait ( 900 m at the narrows, 280 m at the Camarinal Sill ).

The strait is expected to close again as the African Plate moves northward relative to the Eurasian Plate, but on geological rather than human timescales.