A Portuguese-flagged boat in a flotilla carrying aid to Palestinians in Gaza caught fire on Tuesday after what activists allege was a drone attack. The incident occurred off the coast of North Africa, according to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC).
The aid convoy was transporting more than 350 human rights activists and aid workers, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, as part of efforts to deliver humanitarian relief to Gaza.
The group said its main ship, The Family Boat, which was carrying members of the steering committee, was struck, but all six crew members on board were unharmed.
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The FFC released a video showing the aftermath of the explosion, with flames engulfing part of the vessel.
Eyewitness account of drone strike
Activist Miguel Duarte, who was aboard The Family Boat, told Middle East Eye that he saw a drone hovering just meters above the ship before it released an explosive.
“There was a huge explosion, lots of fire, big flames… We could have been killed,” Duarte said.
In a statement, the Tunisian National Guard disputed the account, claiming its monitoring systems had detected no drones in the area. Officials suggested the fire may have been caused by an accident, such as a cigarette butt or lighter igniting a life jacket.
History of flotilla attacks
Israel has not commented on the incident. However, activists point out that Israeli forces have intercepted or attacked all Gaza-bound flotillas since 2010, most notably the Mavi Marmara raid that left nine activists dead.
An unnamed FFC member said the blast appeared to come from an “incendiary device” that set off a fire lasting nearly six minutes. “Two people were sleeping close to where the fire started. Thankfully, the crew managed to extinguish the flames, and nobody was harmed,” she said in a video posted on Instagram.
The flotilla is part of ongoing international efforts to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza and deliver urgently needed food, fuel, and medical supplies. Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has worsened amid Israel’s war, which has left tens of thousands dead and driven most of the enclave’s 2.3 million people into severe hunger.
