Aid ship bound for Gaza catches fire after alleged Israeli drone attack off Malta

CNN
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A Gaza-bound activist help ship caught hearth and issued an SOS, after what its organizers claimed was an Israeli drone assault off the coast of Malta in worldwide waters within the early hours of Friday.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which is campaigning to finish Israel’s blockade of Gaza, advised CNN activists have been aboard its ship carrying humanitarian help when the alleged assault occurred simply after midnight native time (6 p.m. ET Thursday).

The group is but to supply proof that the drone was Israeli, whereas the Israeli army has declined to touch upon the alleged assault.

“There is a hole in the vessel right now and the ship is sinking,” Yasemin Acar, the coalition’s press officer, advised CNN by cellphone from Malta on Friday morning.

Malta’s authorities mentioned the 68-foot-long ship was carrying 16 folks – 12 crew members and 4 civilian passengers. However FFC earlier gave CNN a better determine of 30 folks on board the vessel.

The Armed Forces of Malta confirmed there was a fireplace on a ship that was later extinguished. “We are monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson advised CNN, including that there have been no accidents onboard.

In a later assertion, Malta’s authorities mentioned a tug boat had been despatched to help the vessel.

“All crew were confirmed safe but refused to board the tug. Assistance was provided to support interior firefighting efforts,” the Maltese authorities assertion mentioned.

The ship, the Conscience, was heading to Malta, the place a big contingent of activists have been as a consequence of board earlier than it departed for Gaza, greater than 1,000 miles away, however had not made it into port, the group mentioned.

FFC advised CNN that local weather activist Greta Thunberg and retired US Military Colonel Mary Ann Wright have been amongst those that have been anticipated to board the vessel in Malta, however weren’t onboard on the time of the hearth.

“Volunteers from over 21 countries traveled to Malta to board the mission to Gaza, including prominent figures,” FFC mentioned in an announcement.

Thiago Avila, the flotilla’s lead organizer, advised CNN that he and different activists took a ship out to the flotilla to attempt to present help to their colleagues late Friday afternoon, however Maltese sea guards surrounding the vessel prevented them from getting close to it.

“We will try to go back again tomorrow morning,” Avila mentioned.

When requested by CNN for remark, the Maritime Squadron of the Armed Forces of Malta mentioned the vessel and the crew are safe, and that the ship stays exterior territorial waters and is being monitored by authorities.

Late Friday, the FFC mentioned the flotilla was nonetheless making an attempt to enter Maltese territorial waters, however was being prevented by the coast guard. It urged the Maltese authorities to supply secure passage for the boat, citing the danger of a brand new assault.

Chatting with Reuters from Malta, Thunberg mentioned she was a part of the group that was purported to board the boat and “continue the voyage towards Gaza, which is one of many attempts to open up a humanitarian corridor and to do our part to keep trying to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza,” including that “for two months now, not a single bottle of water has entered Gaza, and it’s a systematic starvation of 2 million people.”

The activist mentioned that the ship is at present at anchor, as transferring it dangers water flooding in. “If it were to move, too much water would come in, and it would sink,” she mentioned.

“What is certain is that we human rights activists will continue to do everything in our power to do our part.”

Chatting with CNN from Malta, Wright mentioned activists “were ready to get on the boat. Anyone could have been on the boat,” including that there are at present Turkish and Azerbaijan residents on the ship.

“We didn’t even think that this would happen. It’s the craziest thing in the world. The ship was in an anchor there, waiting for us to come. Who would send drones to bomb a ship that is anchoring off Malta?” Wright mentioned, including that “this should be a warning to all European countries.”

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition describes itself on its web site as a global community of pro-Palestinian activists working to finish Israel’s blockade of Gaza and ship humanitarian help to the besieged enclave by taking direct, non-violent motion.

Gaza has been beneath Israeli army siege because the October 7, 2023, Hamas lethal assaults on Israel.

Israel imposed a full humanitarian blockade of Gaza on March 2, chopping off meals, medical provides, and different help to the greater than 2 million Palestinians who stay within the territory.

The World Meals Programme (WFP) mentioned this week its warehouses at the moment are empty; soup kitchens which are nonetheless working are severely rationing their final shares; and what little meals stays in Gaza’s markets is being offered for exorbitant costs that the majority can’t afford.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Particular Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, mentioned on X that she “received a distressed call from the people of the Freedom Flotilla that is carrying essential food and medicine to the starving Gaza population.”

“I call on concerned state authorities, including maritime authorities, to support the ship and its crew as needed. I trust the competent authorities will also ascertain the facts and intervene appropriately,” she mentioned.

FFC mentioned it had been working beneath a media blackout over the mission as a result of it needed to keep away from potential sabotage.

“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,” mentioned Acar, including that the mills on the entrance of the vessel have been the obvious goal.

The group pointed the finger of blame at Israel, with out offering proof. “Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters,” FFC mentioned in its assertion.

An Israeli Air Drive C-130 Hercules was picked up leaving Israel early Thursday afternoon and flying to Malta, in keeping with flight-tracking web site ADS-B Change. The Hercules didn’t land at Malta’s worldwide airport, the info exhibits, however the cargo plane did fly at a comparatively low altitude – beneath 5,000 ft – over japanese Malta for an prolonged time period. The Hercules flew over a number of hours earlier than the Freedom Flotilla Coalition says their vessel got here beneath assault. The airplane returned to Israel about seven hours later, flight-tracking information exhibits.

The Israel Protection Forces declined to touch upon the flight-tracking information.

In 2010, Israel attacked a flotilla in worldwide waters and carrying humanitarian provides for Gaza, killing 9 folks and sparking outrage all over the world. A tenth particular person died of wounds sustained within the assault in 2014, after spending 4 years in a coma.

Video the coalition posted on its X account appeared to point out a fireplace burning on a ship, in addition to smoke. The sound of two loud explosions may also be heard in a separate video clip. CNN is unable to independently confirm the movies.

Footage shared on social media and verified by FCC activists exhibits passengers on the boat strolling via smoke that appeared to have crammed the within of the vessel. Pictures onboard the ship additionally present massive holes within the construction, a lot of which is charred and lined in soot.

Trevor Ball, a former US Military senior explosive ordnance disposal workforce member, advised CNN that the photographs are in step with two smaller blast munitions getting used.