GAZA (Palestine Foundation Information Center) An Israeli drone struck one of the ships of the Freedom Flotilla on Thursday night near Malta, causing a fire to break out on board.
According to Al Jazeera, the vessel Al-Dhamir, which had set sail from Tunisia carrying 30 international human rights activists, was targeted by Israeli drones in international waters off the coast of Malta.
A spokesperson for the Freedom Flotilla explained that while the ship was anchored in international waters, several miles off Malta’s coast, it was attacked by drones, which carried out two strikes, one of which hit the ship’s generator, igniting a fire at the bow and causing structural damage. Fortunately, no activists were physically harmed.
Organizers of the Freedom Flotilla shared a video on social media showing the fire raging on board.
One of the international activists also posted footage confirming the ship had been targeted by two drones and issued an urgent distress call.
CNN reported that, according to the Freedom Flotilla media officer, the Israeli attack had punctured the vessel’s hull, causing it to begin sinking.
The officer added that distress calls were made, but only the authorities in southern Cyprus responded, dispatching a rescue ship to assist.
Activists from Malta were due to join those already aboard the ship, which was intended to carry tons of humanitarian aid to the besieged Gaza Strip.
Last year, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition had also planned to send aid ships to Gaza from countries including Turkey and Libya.
It is worth noting that Israel has repeatedly threatened to use force to intercept any vessels attempting to reach Gaza and previously attacked the Mavi Marmara — part of the Freedom Flotilla — off the Palestinian coast in 2010, killing ten Turkish nationals and detaining the remaining activists onboard.
