Gaza aid flotilla targeted by multiple drones, say organisers
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Flags fly aboard a boat in the Global Sumud Flotilla before its departure from the port of Bizerte, northern Tunisia, on Sept 13.
PHOTO: EPA
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ATHENS – Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists said on Sept 24 that several of their boats had been targeted by multiple drones.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said more than a dozen explosions were heard around the flotilla as it sailed off Greece late on Sept 23, with damage caused by “unidentified objects” dropping on deck.
“Multiple drones, unidentified objects dropped, communications jammed and explosions heard from a number of boats,” it said.
Polish lawmaker Franek Sterczewski, who is on board one of the vessels, posted on X that there had been 13 attacks on a total of 10 vessels, including the one he is on.
“Three of the ships were damaged,” he added.
German human rights activist and flotilla member Yasemin Acar said in a video she posted on Instagram that five vessels had been attacked.
“We are carrying only humanitarian aid,” she said. “We have no weapons. We pose no threat to anyone. It is Israel who is killing thousands of people (and) starving a whole population.”
In an earlier video, Ms Acar said the activists had “sighted 15 to 16 drones”, adding that their radios had been jammed as loud music was heard.
One video posted on the flotilla’s official Instagram page showed an explosion it said it recorded from the vessel Spectre at 1.43am GMT (9.43am in Singapore).
The Greek coast guard told AFP a European Union borders agency (Frontex) patrol boat had approached one vessel and saw no evidence of damage.
“No damage”
“The coast guard operations room was informed of the incident after 2.30am (7.30am in Singapore),” a coast guard spokeswoman said.
“A Frontex patrol vessel went to the scene. The sailboat was fine. There was no damage. Those on board mentioned the incident, but it was not determined that it had happened.”
The spokeswoman could not confirm whether the alleged incident had occurred in international waters.
Contacted at its Warsaw headquarters, Frontex could not immediately confirm or deny the incident.
In another video posted on the same page, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila said four boats had been “targeted with drones throwing devices” just before another explosion was heard in the background.
The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona
It currently numbers 51 vessels, most of which are off the Greek island of Crete.
Vessels waiting to join the flotilla had already been targeted in two suspected drone attacks in Tunisia.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was among those who boarded in the North African nation.
Israel, which blocked two previous attempts by activists to reach Gaza by sea in June and July, said on Sept 22 that it would not allow the flotilla to reach the embattled Palestinian territory.
Israel has come under huge international pressure to halt its war in Gaza, where it has launched a ground offensive against famine-hit Gaza City. AFP
