A ship delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza caught fire after explosions early Friday in the Mediterranean Sea near Malta. The vessel, Conscience, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, had departed from Tunisia carrying 16 people, including activists and crew. Maltese authorities confirmed that a mayday call was received and that a tugboat responded to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the explosions remains unconfirmed. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition suspects a drone strike, potentially from Israel, but has not provided conclusive evidence. Crew members reported that armed drones may have targeted the ship around 12:20 a.m., damaging the hull and disabling its generator. The group shared video footage showing fire on the ship and subsequent damage assessments by the crew. Experts who reviewed the images could not verify whether a drone was involved.
The ship was scheduled to stop in Malta to pick up additional passengers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. Maltese officials are monitoring the situation, and it is unclear whether the damaged vessel will be permitted to dock.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which includes the Turkish aid group I.H.H., has previously challenged Israel and Egypt’s blockade of Gaza. In 2010, a similar aid mission ended violently when Israeli forces boarded a flotilla and killed nine activists, including four I.H.H. members, leading to international backlash.
Israel has imposed strict limits on aid entering Gaza, especially after a temporary ceasefire collapsed in March. While Israel says the blockade is intended to pressure Hamas to release hostages, humanitarian organizations warn it is worsening civilian suffering.
The Coalition has called on the international community to condemn what it described as a deliberate attack in international waters. “Targeting human rights activists at sea is a war crime,” said group spokesperson Yasemin Acar.
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