A ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists to Gaza has been bombed.
The ship was destroyed after it was attacked by drones and disabled while in international waters off Malta.
The ship was headed towards the Palestinian territory as its organisers have said.
“At 00:23 Maltese time, the Conscience, a Freedom Flotilla Coalition ship came under direct attack in international waters,”; the group said in a statement.
“Armed drones attacked the front of an unarmed civilian vessel twice, causing a fire and a substantial breach in the hull,”; it added, blaming Israel.
The drones, as it appeared, targeted the boat’s generator early on Friday, leaving the boat without power and at risk of sinking, according to the activists.
Images of the incident as shared on social media by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition showed a fierce blaze onboard the ship and two explosions.
Images of the Conscience provided by Cypriot authorities showed significant damage.
Twelve crew members and four civilians were “confirmed safe”;, the Maltese government said in a statement on Friday.
The group further explained that on board the ship were activists from 21 countries and on a “mission to challenge Israel’s illegal and deadly siege of Gaza and to deliver desperately needed, life-saving aid”;.
