Organizers of the "Freedom Flotilla" to Gaza, which aimed to "break the siege" on the enclave, claimed two drones attacked their ship near Malta—but stopped short of blaming any specific party. Israeli authorities have not commented on the attack, while a statement from Maltese authorities revealed the sequence of events that followed.
According to the Maltese announcement, shortly after midnight, the ship issued a distress call: “Mayday.” The flotilla’s organizers said the vessel was attacked twice by a drone. “There’s a hole in the ship and it’s sinking,” said spokesperson Yasmine Asar. She said the generators in the ship’s bow were targeted. Videos published by the organizers showed flames and smoke rising from the ship, accompanied by loud explosions.
According to Maltese authorities, “At 12:23 a.m., the crew reported that the fire was out of control and requested immediate assistance. A tugboat arrived and began extinguishing the fire. By 1:28 a.m., the blaze was under control. Another vessel was dispatched to provide additional support. At 2:13 a.m., it was confirmed that there were no injuries among the crew, although they refused to board the tug. At 3:45 a.m., the vessel was declared safe.”
Reports from some Arabic-language outlets claimed Israel was behind the attack. However, the organizers, speaking with CNN, did not blame Israel or any other entity. They told the U.S. network that 30 people were aboard the ship, along with humanitarian aid. However, Malta’s official statement said the vessel carried 12 crew members and four civilians. The organizers said only southern Cyprus authorities responded by sending a rescue and support ship.
The vessel was flying the flag of Palau. According to international tracking websites, it was located Friday morning off Malta’s eastern coast. The island nation sits in the central Mediterranean, about 1,200 miles from Israel.
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Meanwhile, the Red Cross warned that “after two months of total blockage of humanitarian aid, the situation in Gaza is on the verge of total collapse.” Pascal Hundt, operations director for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said, “This must not be accepted and the situation cannot be allowed to deteriorate further. Israel has a responsibility to do everything possible to ensure that civilians under its control receive the basic conditions they need.”
According to the ICRC, supplies of food and medical equipment at its field hospital in Gaza are running out, with some items completely depleted. Water, sanitation and hygiene conditions have also deteriorated drastically. Damage to water systems, including the closure of pipelines and the destruction of sewage trucks, has created an “unacceptable and high risk” of waterborne disease.
First published: 09:02, 05.02.25