Aid ship bound for Gaza issued SOS after alleged drone attack off the coast of Malta
CNN
By Kathleen Magramo, Abeer Salman, Todd Symons and Martin Goillandeau, CNN
(CNN) — A Gaza-bound activist aid ship caught fire and issued an SOS, after what it claimed was a drone attack off the coast of Malta in international waters.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), which is campaigning to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza, told CNN 30 people were aboard its ship carrying humanitarian aid when the alleged attack happened just after midnight local time Friday (6 p.m. ET Thursday).
“There is a hole in the vessel right now and the ship is sinking,” Yasemin Acar, the coalition’s press officer, told CNN by phone from Malta on Friday morning.
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.
Video the coalition posted on its X account appeared to show a fire burning on a ship, as well as smoke. The sound of two loud explosions can also be heard in a separate video clip.
CNN is unable to independently verify the videos.
The Armed Forces of Malta confirmed there had been a fire on a ship that has now been extinguished. “We are monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson told CNN, adding that there were no injuries onboard.
“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,” said Acar, adding that the generators at the front of the vessel were the apparent target.
“We have 30 international human rights activists on that vessel at this very moment on a vessel that is sinking,” said Acar.
The flotilla did not accuse any specific party of being behind the claimed drone attack.
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.
FFC’s lead organizer, Thiago Avila, told CNN the ship had been due to dock in Malta on Thursday to pick up additional passengers.
Avila said the organization was now trying to arrange a small boat to accompany a rescue crew to the location of the Conscience.
“We are aware that the boat is severely damaged” said Avila, who said FFC did not know if anyone had been injured.
CNN has reached out to the government of Malta and the Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Cyprus.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition describes itself on its website as an international network of pro-Palestinian activists working to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave by taking direct, non-violent action.
Gaza has been under Israeli military siege since the October 7, 2023, Hamas deadly attacks on Israel.
Israel imposed a full humanitarian blockade of Gaza on March 2, cutting off food, medical supplies, and other aid to the more than 2 million Palestinians who live in the territory.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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