An aid ship heading to Gaza caught fire and issued an SOS call after reportedly being attacked by drones off the coast of Malta.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), an international NGO, say their vessel was assaulted while in international waters early this morning.
Harrowing footage shows a fire raging on the ship, which the organisation says was loaded with supplies for the besieged territory.
Human rights activist Greta Thunberg is in Malta and was supposed to have boarded the ship, according to the NGO.
The coalition said that the ‘front of the vessel was targeted twice, resulting in a fire and a breach in the hull’ – but that no countries had responded to their SOS call.
They believe that the front of the vessel was the target, but did not accuse any specific party of carrying out the attack.
‘There is a hole in the vessel right now and the ship is sinking,’ Yasemin Acar, the coalition’s press officer, told CNN.
‘Our vessel is 17 kilometers off the shores of Malta right now in international waters, and they have been subjected to a drone attack twice.
‘We have 30 international human rights activists on that vessel at this very moment on a vessel that is sinking.’
Harrowing footage shows a fire raging on the ship, which the organisation says was loaded with supplies for the besieged territory
The coalition said that the ‘front of the vessel was targeted twice, resulting in a fire and a breach in the hull’ – but that no countries had responded to their SOS call
Yasemin Acar, the coalition’s press officer, said: ‘Our vessel is 17 kilometers off the shores of Malta right now in international waters, and they have been subjected to a drone attack twice’
‘Under international maritime law, Malta has an obligation to act & ensure the safety of a civilian ship in distress within its proximity,’ the NGO added in a social media post.
Acar said the ship had ‘sent out SOS calls to the surrounding countries, including Malta’ and that a ‘small boat’ from southern Cyprus had been sent.
She added she had been able to contact crew members after the SOS signal was sent out.
FFC’s lead organiser Thiago Avila the ship had been due to dock in Malta on Thursday to pick up additional passengers, which could have included Thunberg.
Marine traffic websites show the ship, the Conscience, departed Tunisia on Tuesday night.
Tracking data showed it had been in its position off the coast of Malta for around 12 hours before the alleged attack occurred on Friday morning.
The Conscience is listed as flying under a Palau flag.
Activists wash the deck of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship ‘Handala’ as they prepare to sail for Gaza in 2024
Humanitarian aid and supplies have not entered the Gaza Strip since March 2, when Israel shut all crossings into Gaza
Recently, the UN’s World Food Programme and UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees, said they had used up all their stocks of food aid
The NGO said volunteers from 21 countries are on board the vessel.
A spokesperson for the Armed Forces of Malta said: ‘We are monitoring the situation closely.’
The coalition is campaigning to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
Humanitarian aid and supplies have not entered the Gaza Strip since March 2, when Israel shut all crossings into Gaza.
Recently, the UN’s World Food Programme and UNRWA, the agency for Palestinian refugees, said they had used up all their stocks of food aid.
The UN has warned that the current situation ‘is likely the worst it has been’ due to the blockade.
Another coalition ship on a similar mission to Gaza in 2010 was stopped and boarded by Israeli troops, and nine activists died. Other ships have similarly been stopped and boarded, without loss of life.
