CNN
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Gaza-bound activist aid ship issued an SOS after it sparked a fire and claimed it was a drone attack off the coast of Malta in international waters.
The Freedom Frotilla Union (FFC), which is campaigning to end Israel’s Gaza blockade, said 30 CNNs are on board ships carrying humanitarian aid. When suspicion of the attack occurred shortly after midnight on Friday (6pm on Thursday).
“There is a hole in the boat right now and the boat is sinking,” Union spokesperson Yasemin Acar told CNN over a phone call from Malta on Friday morning.
Acar said the ship had “sent SOS calls to neighboring countries, including Malta,” and that “small boats” had been sent from South Cyprus. She added that she was able to contact the crew after the SOS signal was sent.
The coalition, posted on the VideoX account, appeared to show not only smoke and smoke, but also fires burning on the ship. The sounds of two big explosions can also be heard in another video clip.
CNN cannot independently verify the video.
Maltese troops confirmed that a fire had occurred on the now-destroyed ship. “We are closely monitoring the situation,” a spokesperson told CNN, adding that no one was on board.
“Our ship is currently 17km away from Malta’s coast and has attacked two drone attacks in international waters,” Acar said, adding that the generator on the front of the ship is an obvious target.
“The vessel has 30 international human rights activists on the vessel,” Acar says.
The fleet did not accuse any particular parties of being behind the billed drone attack.
The Marine Transport website shows that the ship, conscience, departed Tunisia on Tuesday night. Tracking data showed it was located at that location for about 12 hours off the coast of Malta before suspected attacks occurred Friday morning. Conscience is listed as flying under the flag of Palau.
FFC’s lead organizer Thiago Avila told CNN that he plans to dock in Malta on Thursday and will pick up additional passengers.
Avila said the organization is about to arrange a small boat to accompany the rescue team to the location of conscience.
“I know the boat is badly damaged,” Avila said.
CNN reached out to the Maltese government and the Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Centre.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition describes itself on its website as an international network of pro-Palestinian activists working to end the Israeli Gaza blockade and provide humanitarian assistance to the besieged enclaves by taking direct and non-violent actions..
Gaza has been under Israeli military siege since October 7, 2023, and Hamas has been a deadly attack on Israel.
Israel imposed a complete humanitarian blockade in Gaza on March 2nd, blocking food, medical supplies and other aid to more than 2 million Palestinians living on the territory.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
