A Gaza-bound ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists was, according to its organizers, bombed by drones in international waters early on Friday morning.
Organizers, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, have alleged that Israel is to blame.
This video, verified by Reuters and filmed by those on board as well as from the ship’s CCTV, purports to show the moment the Conscience was struck off the Maltese coast.
The Israeli foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegation by the international non-governmental group.
While the Maltese government has confirmed all on board are safe, the NGO and Swedish activist Greta Thunberg maintained the ship was still in danger.
“…this attack caused an explosion and major damage to the vessel, which made it impossible to continue the mission.”
Thunberg told Reuters she was supposed to be on board the vessel.
“The ship is currently still, as far as I know, at the location where it was attacked, because if it were to move, too much water would come in, and it would sink. So that is where we are right now.”
The Maltese government said maritime authorities responded to a mayday call, while a nearby tug boat headed to the scene and launched firefighting operations.
The government added that the crew had refused to board to tug, reporting there were 12 crew members and four civilians on board.
The Freedom Flotilla said in a statement on its website that the alleged drone strikes had caused “a substantial breach in the hull.”
The coalition said it had been organizing a non-violent action under a media blackout in order to avoid any potential sabotage.
Since March 2, Israel has completelycut off all suppliesto the 2.3 million residents of the enclave, and food stockpiled during a ceasefire at the start of the year has all but run out.
Another coalition ship on a similar mission to Gaza in 2010 was stopped and boarded by Israeli troops, and nine activists died.
Other ships have similarly been stopped and boarded, without loss of life.
(Reuters)
