Gaza aid flotilla says one of its ships was attacked by a drone in Tunis

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which is bringing aid to Gaza, claimed that one of its ships was attacked by a drone in Tunis on Monday night.

According to the organizers, the targeted vessel was the Family, one of the flotilla’s main boats carrying activist Greta Thunberg, former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, and the mission’s leadership.

All passengers are safe and out of danger, the organizers said. The vessel had arrived in Tunis on Sunday and is expected to resume its journey to Gaza on Wednesday.

"Acts of aggression intended to intimidate and derail our mission will not dissuade us. Our peaceful mission to break the siege of Gaza and stand in solidarity with its people continues with determination," organizers said in a statement.

In an interview with Catalunya Ràdio, Ada Colau explained that throughout the expedition, the crew takes turns keeping watch over the boat.

At the time of the explosion, Colau was in a meeting off the vessel with Italian lawyer Francesca Albanese. She returned immediately after being informed of the incident.

Colau said that when the blast occurred, four crew members and three members of the flotilla were on board the ship.

Hours after the attack, organizers of the Global Sumud Flotilla gave a press conference surrounded by many demonstrators and supporters. "I was on the deck of the ship, and I heard a drone hovering at 3 or 4 meters above my head," Portuguese Miguel Duarte, one of the members of the flotilla, said in English.

"Then, we saw the drone move to the forward part of the deck, stood for a few seconds on top of the life jackets, and then dropped the bomb," he narrated.

Despite the "shameful attack," members of the group say that they "will not be deterred," and that the fire was "successfully" extinguished.

The team promised that the trip will continue to Gaza despite the incident on Tuesday.

"We have the history on our side. We bring the world together," Thiago Ávila, one of the flotilla members, said during the press conference.

The UN special rapporteur on Palestine, Francesca Albanese, urged flotilla members to keep their goal and hopes that the trip takes place in a "peaceful spirit." "I hope that tonight's tension does not delay the mission nor the plan to keep going," she said.

Ávila highlighted that they are aware that "it is a high risk mission, but it is nothing compared to what people in Gaza are goiing thorough." 

Two versions

During the press conference, members of the flotilla said that the attack took place as a drone dropped a bomb on one of the boats.

However, Tunis authorities said that there were no evidences that the incident had been provoked by a hostile attack and that the origin of the fire was the interior of the vessel.