Drone Attack Suspected as Explosions Set Aid Ship to Gaza Ablaze in Mediterranean
A humanitarian aid ship bound for Gaza was rocked by powerful explosions early Friday while sailing in international waters off the coast of Malta. The incident ignited a fire on board and left the vessel severely damaged, according to the human rights group operating the mission.
The ship, named Conscience, is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition a network of international activists committed to delivering aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip. The vessel had departed Tunisia earlier this week and was scheduled to stop in Malta to pick up around 40 additional passengers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
Around 12:20 a.m. local time, as the ship neared Malta, the crew issued a mayday call reporting a fire at the bow. Malta’s government later confirmed the distress call and said a nearby tug vessel equipped with firefighting capabilities responded promptly, extinguishing the blaze by 1:30 a.m. No injuries were reported among the 16 people onboard, which included 12 crew members and four civilian passengers.
The source of the explosions remains unclear. However, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition has alleged that the ship was attacked by armed drones, claiming two bombs were fired at the vessel, causing a significant hull breach and disabling the generator. The resulting power outage left the ship stranded at sea.
Video footage shared by the coalition and verified by The New York Times showed a fire engulfing the ship’s deck while alarms blared in the background. Later footage captured passengers assessing the damage, including one man wielding a fire extinguisher.
Despite the danger, the crew chose not to evacuate, opting instead to remain aboard and protect the vessel. The coalition has called for a forensic investigation of the debris to determine if a weapon was used in the attack.
As of Friday morning, it was uncertain whether Maltese authorities would allow the damaged ship to dock. Meanwhile, no group or nation has claimed responsibility for the incident, and the Israeli military has yet to comment.
The incident echoes a troubling history of maritime aid missions being intercepted en route to Gaza. In 2010, nine activists aboard the Turkish vessel Mavi Marmara were killed in a controversial Israeli commando raid an event that strained Turkish-Israeli relations and drew global condemnation.
Israel has maintained strict control over aid entering Gaza, recently halting shipments entirely in March in an effort to pressure Hamas into accepting a cease-fire agreement. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, undeterred, continues to challenge the blockade and calls this latest incident a violation of international law.
“Attacking international human rights activists in international waters is a war crime,” said coalition spokeswoman Yasemin Acar. “We call on the global community to condemn this attack and demand accountability.”
The Conscience remains adrift in the Mediterranean, as activists around the world watch and wait for answers.
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Drone Attack Suspected as Explosions Set Aid Ship to Gaza Ablaze in Mediterranean