Freedom Flotilla says ‘no one is helping’ as attacked vessel remains at sea
The vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition that was hit by drones near Malta is currently unable to dock at a port of safety, with four volunteers on board who suffered minor injuries.
Nicole Jenes, an actress and activist with the coalition, said, “Nobody is helping.”
“We are urging the international community to save our crew to allow the ship to come to the port without being seized,” she said.
Jenes added a group of volunteers who attempted to reach the vessel on Friday and Saturday were stopped by Maltese authorities and threatened with arrest. Those who remain on board have no electricity and “fear another attack”, she said.
“We are willing to continue. We cannot imagine that bringing aid to the people of Gaza can make us the villains of the world.”
International maritime law ignored now as well:
"The duty to render assistance to those in distress at sea is a well-established principle of international law.This principle is enshrined in international conventions like the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).It obligates ships and states to provide assistance to persons in danger at sea, and to promote effective search and rescue services"
Rights group says countries must help stranded Freedom Flotilla ship
Palestinian human rights organisation Al-Haq has issued a statement saying that Malta and neighbouring countries should be doing more to help after a ship carrying aid to Gaza was attacked in international waters off the Maltese coast.
Al-Haq said the countries have obligations under the Genocide Convention to “ensure passage of humanitarian aid to Gaza”.
“Throughout the past 24 hours, nearby countries in a position to provide physical assistance have largely ignored the incident,” Al-Haq said.
The group described the drone attack against the vessel as “further proof of Israel’s blatant disregard for international law”.
“World leaders have remained silent, despite the egregious nature of an attack directed at a boarded ship anchored off the coast of a European country,” the statement said.
Al-Haq urges Third States to open maritime routes for uninterrupted humanitarian aid to #Gaza, and calls on activists and people of conscience to join efforts to ensure lifesaving aid reaches Gaza.
🔗 https://t.co/UQFAQJ3f0d
— Al-Haq الحق (@alhaq_org) May 3, 2025
