Gaza aid flotilla says boat hit by ‘drone attack’ off Tunisia
Organizers of the pro-Palestinian flotilla hoping to carry aid to Gaza said on Tuesday one of their boats was targeted by a drone attack off the coast of Tunisia, prompting denials from Tunis.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, which set off from Barcelona last week with hundreds of activists on board, including Greta Thunberg, said one of its main boats was “struck by a drone in Tunisian waters.”
“All six passengers and crew are safe,” the statement added. “Fire damage was caused to the main deck and below deck storage.”
Tunisian authorities have rejected claims of a drone attack and said a fire on board was caused by a burning life jacket.
Citing the Interior Ministry, the Tunisian state news agency TAP reported that security forces investigated the fire on board and determined that it started from a burning life jacket.
There were no casualties or damage to property, apart from several burnt life jackets, the agency said.
However, the flotilla published videos on Instagram showing a flash emerging from the sky and hitting the boat, causing a fire.
Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, said the incident had caused “shock” and warned that the flotilla has faced threats, including from Israel.
She highlighted the “history of attacks on the flotilla.”
Organizers plan to provide information about the reported incident at a press conference today.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is aiming to breach the Israeli sea blockade of the Gaza coast to deliver humanitarian aid to the population of the war-torn territory. “Sumud” means steadfastness in Arabic.
Its organizers say that it is the largest action of its kind to date.
Israel has in the past thwarted a number of attempts to breach its sea blockade. An attempt by an Italian vessel in July was also prevented.
Thunberg, the Swedish climate activist, participated in a similar voyage aboard the Madleen vessel earlier this year, as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
In May, activists from the coalition reported a drone attack near the Mediterranean island of Malta.
Israeli troops boarded the Madleen 200 kilometres off the coast of Gaza on June 9 and took it to Ashdod, an Israeli port to the north of the territory. Thunberg and other activists were then deported.
