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Aid vessel en route to Gaza is saved by Malta following a drone assault

Aid vessel sailing towards Gaza, carrying 16 individuals, falters following drone assault; Maltese authorities save it, per local news outlets, as per a government statement.

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Aid vessel en route to Gaza is saved by Malta following a drone assault

Titled: "Maltese Forces Rescue Freedom Flotilla Ship Attacked Off Gaza"

Humanitarian aid vessel, the Conscience, bound for Gaza and carrying 16 individuals, was saved from peril by Maltese forces following a drone assault, as revealed today by local media.

Revealing details from an official statement, public broadcaster TVM reported that a firefighting-equipped tugboat provided assistance to the Freedom Flotilla ship after it issued a distress call. The drone attack had crippled the ship, posing a high risk of it sinking, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.

A Maltese Armed Forces patrol boat was dispatched to the scene after a request from the tugboat, the Maltese government confirmed. By 03:45 GMT, authorities managed to secure the safety of everyone on board, although no one was prepared to disembark[1]. The ship remains in international waters and is under surveillance by authorities[1].

The UN rapporteur for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, received a distress call from the Freedom Flotilla and has called upon state authorities to offer necessary support to the ship and its crew[2]. Albanese also urged the competent authorities to assess the situation thoroughly and respond appropriately[2].

This latest incident follows allegations by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition of an Israeli or allied attack on their ship, which occurred approximately 17 nautical miles east of Malta, at around 00:23 Maltese time on May 2, 2025[3][4][5]. The assault caused significant damage, including a fire and a breach in the hull, with the drone strike primarily targeting the ship's generator[1][4]. Although there were about 30 activists on board, miraculously, no casualties were reported[1][3].

The Freedom Flotilla seeks to highlight and challenge Israel's blockade of Gaza, alleging complicity by other governments[1]. The incident has elicited international condemnation, with calls for further action against the blockade[2][3]. However, Israel has yet to comment on the accusations[2]. The situation remains under investigation by relevant authorities[1].

[1] - "Malta assists Freedom Flotilla ship after distress call," Malta Today, accessed May 2, 2025, https://maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/135102/malta_assists_freedom_flotilla_ship_after_distress_call/[2] - "UN rapporteur calls for intervention following Freedom Flotilla attack," Al-Jazeera, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/2/un-rapporteur-calls-for-intervention-following-freedom-flotilla-attack[3] - "Freedom Flotilla ship attacked in international waters," Middle East Eye, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/freedom-flotilla-ship-attacked-international-waters[4] - "Drone attack targets Freedom Flotilla ship," Haaretz, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.haaretz.com/middle-east-news/palestinians/.premium-drone-attack-targets-freedom-flotilla-ship-1.9777946[5] - "Israel accused of attacking Freedom Flotilla ship," The Guardian, accessed May 2, 2025, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/02/israel-accused-of-attacking-freedom-flotilla-ship-en-route-to-gaza

  1. The report stated that the UN rapporteur for Palestine, Francesca Albanese, called upon the authorities to offer necessary support to the Freedom Flotilla ship, Conscience, and its crew.
  2. The Maltese Armed Forces dispatched a patrol boat to the scene after a request from the firefighting-equipped tugboat that provided assistance to the Freedom Flotilla ship.
  3. The Maltese government confirmed the dispatch of their patrol boat following the attack on the Conscience in international waters.
  4. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition reported that the drone attack had crippled the ship, posing a high risk of it sinking.
  5. News outlets reported that the Freedom Flotilla ships are aimed at highlighting and challenging Israel's blockade of Gaza, alleging complicity by other governments.
  6. Israel has yet to comment on the accusations of an attack on the Freedom Flotilla ship, which occurred near Malta.
  7. The authorities are under investigation to assess the situation thoroughly and respond appropriately following the incident in war-and-conflicts news.
  8. The incident has elicited international condemnation with calls for further action against the blockade, as shared in general news sites.
  9. The Freedom Flotilla ship, Conscience, was bound for Gaza and carrying 16 individuals when it was saved from peril by Maltese forces following a drone assault.
  10. The attack on the Freedom Flotilla ship, which damaged the ship's generator and caused a fire and a breach in the hull, was reported by various news sources, including Malta Today, Al-Jazeera, Middle East Eye, Haaretz, and The Guardian.
  11. The Maltese forces managed to secure the safety of everyone on board the Freedom Flotilla ship by 03:45 GMT, and the ship remains under surveillance in international waters.
Aid vessel sailing towards Gaza, carrying 16 individuals, was left disabled by a drone strike but was subsequently saved by Maltese authorities, according to local news outlets, as per a government statement.

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