Drone Strikes Ship Carrying Aid To Gaza Off The Coast Of Malta With 16 People On Board Watch Video

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists to Gaza was allegedly hit by drones off the coast of Malta on Friday.

Around 12 crew members and four civilians were on board. However, there were no casualties, news agencies reported, quoting a statement by Codepink, a grassroots peace and social justice movement.

The vessel, which belongs to the Gaza Freedom Flotilla, was transporting food and supplies to Gaza, said the statement.

“At 00:23 Maltese time, a #FreedomFlotilla ship was subjected to a drone attack. The front of the vessel was targeted twice, resulting in a fire and a breach in the hull. The ship is currently located in international waters near #Malta. An #SOS distress signal was sent,” said Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international non-governmental group, in a post on X.

It also published video footage showing a fire on one of its ships, and pointed the finger at Israel.

"Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade (of Gaza) and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters," it said.

The Maltese government said maritime authorities had received a mayday call from a vessel reporting a fire shortly after midnight local time.

The vessel was outside territorial waters and had 12 crew members and four civilians on board, Reuters reported.

Charlie Andreasson, who has been involved in the organization for more than a decade, told AP that he had spoken to people on board who said they heard two explosions, and that a fire broke out.

While the people on board were safe, he said there was a risk that the boat could sink as the generator was hit and the boat was immobile.

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