Activists say ship aiming to sail to Gaza was attacked by drones

BBC:

Activists who were planning to sail a ship to Gaza say it was struck by drones in international waters off the coast of Malta – appearing to accuse Israel of being behind the attack.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said its ship The Conscience was targeted at 00:23 local time on Friday and issued an SOS signal right after the attack.

The group said it had planned to sail to Gaza with people including climate activist Greta Thunberg on board and “challenge Israel’s illegal siege and blockade”.

The Maltese government said everyone aboard the ship is “confirmed safe” and that a fire onboard the ship was “brought under control overnight”.

The NGO called for Israeli ambassadors to be summoned to answer for “violation of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel”.

The Israeli military said it was looking into reports of the attack.

Greta Thunberg was among those who had planned to board the ship once it departed for Gaza on Friday.

Speaking to journalists in Valetta, she said: “I was part of the group who was supposed to board that boat today to 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.”

She said the attack on the ship by two drones “caused an explosion and major damage to the vessel, which made it impossible to continue the mission”.

Thunberg adds that as far as she’s aware, the ship is still at the location of the attack because moving it would let too much water in.

“What is certain is that we human rights activists will continue to do everything in our power to do our part, to demand a free Palestine and demand the opening of a humanitarian corridor,” she said.

The Maltese government said that 12 crew and four activists were on board the boat, while the NGO said 30 activists had been on board.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition uploaded a video showing a fire on the ship. It said the attack appeared to have targeted the generator, which left the ship without power and at risk of sinking.