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All on board Gaza aid flotilla confirmed safe: Malta government
People on an aid flotilla for Gaza that was hit by drones in international waters off Malta overnight are “confirmed safe”, according to the Maltese government.
“The vessel had 12 crew members on board and four civilian passengers; no casualties were reported,” a statement said, adding that a nearby tug had been directed to aid the vessel.
“The tug arrived on scene and began firefighting operations. By 1:28am (23:28 GMT Thursday), the fire was reported under control. An Armed Forces of Malta patrol vessel was also dispatched to provide further assistance,” the government said.
“By 2:13am, all crew were confirmed safe but refused to board the tug (…) The ship remains outside territorial waters and is being monitored by the competent authorities,” the statement concluded.
A tug vessel puts out a fire on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla vessel Conscience outside Maltese territorial waters, on May 2
Freedom Flotilla says vessel has more people on board than Maltese government alleges: Report
The Maltese government had told the media that the 16 people on board the activist ship that was attacked earlier today had refused to board a tug vessel, which had put out the fire following contact with the Malta Vessel Traffic Services, the Times of Malta reported.
However, the outlet spoke to the activist group’s operations team in Malta, which insisted there are 15 crew members and an additional 15 passengers on the vessel.
A spokesperson for Freedom Flotilla also told Al Jazeera earlier that 30 people in total were on board the ship.
Times of Malta added that communication with the people on board later became “impossible” as the fire from the drone attacks damaged the ship’s electrical system.
The outlet also reported that the crew chose to stay on board the vessel and said it is their responsibility to make sure it remains afloat, along with the humanitarian supplies it holds.
Human rights organisation demands investigation into Gaza-bound activist aid ship
There should be an investigation into the drone attacks on the Gaza aid flotilla, says the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor.
“The deliberate targeting of a civilian aid ship in international waters is a flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter, the Law of the Sea, and the Rome Statute, which prohibits the targeting of humanitarian objects,” the organisation said in a statement.
It added: “This attack falls within a recurring and documented pattern of force being used to prevent ships from reaching the Gaza Strip, even before they approach its shores.”
The organisation is calling for an “independent and transparent investigation under Maltese jurisdiction, with the participation of the United Nations”. It is also demanding “guarantees for safe sea passage for humanitarian aid bound for Gaza”.
“Any failure to act today will only encourage further attacks on humanitarian missions and deepen the catastrophe unfolding in Gaza,” said the monitor.
A spokesperson for the Gaza Freedom Flotilla says the group blames Israel or one of its allies for the attack, adding it currently does not have proof of this claim.
