Shafaq News/ A ship operated by the FreedomFlotilla Coalition, aiming to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza, was struck byarmed drones early Thursday while navigating international waters near Malta,the group said, blaming Israel for the attack and urging international action.
The vessel, Conscience, came under fire at 00:23local time, shortly before its planned departure. Organizers described thestrike as a "direct attack" on a civilian, unarmed ship, saying itoccurred “in international waters off the coast of Malta.”
BREAKING: At 00:23 Maltese time, a #FreedomFlotilla ship was subjected to a drone attack. The front of the vessel was targeted twice, resulting in a fire and a breach in the hull. The ship is currently located in international waters near #Malta. An #SOS distress signal was sent. pic.twitter.com/J6oEQafuOb
— Freedom Flotilla Coalition (@GazaFFlotilla) May 2, 2025According to the coalition, two drone strikeshit the front of the ship, igniting a fire and tearing a substantial breach inthe hull. The vessel immediately issued an SOS signal. “The ship’s generatorappears to have been deliberately targeted, leaving the crew without power andplacing them at serious risk of sinking.”
The attack occurred under a media blackout aimedat avoiding potential sabotage, the coalition added. The mission had gatheredvolunteers from over 21 countries, including prominent public figures, who hadtraveled to Malta to participate in the aid effort.
“Our last communication with the crew, in the earlyhours of May 2, indicated that drones were still circling above the vessel,”the coalition said. A ship from southern Cyprus reportedly reached the scenebut has not been able to provide the necessary electrical support.
The incident follows a complete Israeli blockadeon aid shipments into Gaza. Since March 2, no humanitarian convoys have beenallowed to enter the enclave. “More than two million people are beingdeliberately starved, and not a single aid truck has reached Gaza in twomonths,” the coalition said. Humanitarian experts estimate at least 600 aidtrucks are needed daily to meet the population's basic needs.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Romeconfirmed a tugboat had been dispatched and was on-site, but the flotilla groupsaid all communication systems on board had been disabled in the attack,preventing verification of the vessel's current condition.
Under international maritime law, Malta isobligated to respond to civilian ships in distress within its search and rescuezone. The coalition criticized what it described as a lack of transparency andurgency. “The failure to provide clear information and support constitutes abreach of international customary law,” the group asserted.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition called for a coordinatedinternational response. “Israeli ambassadors must be summoned to explain thisviolation of international law, including the attack on our civilian ship,” thestatement said.
The group issued a list of demands, includingimmediate Maltese intervention to safeguard the vessel's passengers,international condemnation of the strike, and an end to all support—political,financial, and military—for Israel’s blockade and occupation of Gaza.
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