A vessel carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, with 16 people on board, was attacked by a drone off the coast of Malta on Friday, as reported by the grassroots organization “Code Pink” dedicated to peace and social justice.
The ship, part of the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza, was attempting to deliver food and supplies to the residents of Gaza, according to the statement.
The government of Malta confirmed that all 16 individuals aboard, consisting of 12 crew members and four civilians, were unharmed during the incident.
The Freedom Flotilla coalition issued a distress call following the drone attack on their vessel in international waters of the Mediterranean Sea near Malta, as reported by the German news agency DPA.
On their official social media page, the organization stated that the ship was targeted shortly after midnight, with a drone strike hitting the bow of the vessel, DPA reported.
They added that the attack occurred twice on the front of the ship, resulting in a fire and damage to its structure.
The coalition shared a video featuring nighttime footage of the fire on the ship. They announced that the vessel is currently in international waters near Malta and has already sent out a distress signal.
The identity of the attackers was not immediately clear.
Israel has been obstructing the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza for two months, triggering what is believed to be the worst humanitarian crisis in 19 months of conflict.
Charlie Anderson, who has been involved with the Freedom Flotilla for over a decade, told the Associated Press that he had spoken with individuals on the ship, who mentioned that there were two explosions followed by a fire.
He noted that while the people on board were safe, the ship was at risk of sinking due to damage to the generator, which had been hit and caused the vessel to stop operating.