Gaza Aid Vessel Remains Adrift After Drone Strike Off Malta

(MENAFN) A vessel carrying humanitarian assistance to Gaza, which sustained damage in a drone attack in international waters near Malta early Friday, is currently anchored offshore, awaiting authorization to dock, according to an aid representative on board.

The ship was secured in the early hours following firefighting efforts supported by a nearby tugboat.

A report, referencing flight-tracking data, indicated the presence of an Israeli military aircraft over Malta hours before the drone strike on the ship.

Ismail Songur, the head of the Mavi Marmara Freedom and Solidarity Association and a passenger on the vessel stated that the Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship had departed from Tunisia with the intention of picking up activists in Malta before proceeding towards Gaza.

“Our aim was to raise awareness in European ports, coordinate with other ships, and increase pressure on Egypt to allow aid access to Gaza," Songur stated. He noted the ship is presently anchored 12 nautical miles off the coast of Malta, with volunteers from over 20 nations awaiting boarding.

The group includes journalists, medical professionals, and humanitarian personnel.

Songur recounted that the ship was attacked at approximately 12:15 a.m. local time by a forceful jolt resembling a collision.

“When we rushed to the deck, we saw a large fire. At that moment, a drone flew over us, and a second explosion occurred,” he noted. “We experienced a fire that lasted nearly four hours. The ship narrowly avoided sinking.”

He reported that communication lines were severed shortly after the incident. Despite backup systems, internet access was blocked, and distress calls made via radio frequencies were allegedly interfered with by a deceptive signal asserting that no assistance was required.

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