An international activist group said one of its Gaza aid boats was hit by what it believes was a drone while docked in Tunisia, but Tunisian authorities denied a drone attack and said they are investigating a fire in a life jacket.
The Global Sumud Flotilla said overnight that a vessel known as the “Family Boat,” which was traveling under a Portuguese flag, "was struck by a drone," and that no one aboard was hurt. Footage posted on the group's social media showed a flash of light landing on one of the boats and setting off a fire. The flotilla had been scheduled to depart Tunisia on Wednesday to sail toward Gaza carrying food, water and medicine.
Portuguese activist Miguel Duarte, who said he was aboard the Family Boat, told a news conference in Tunis that he saw a drone moments before an explosion. "The drone stood a few seconds on top of a bunch of life jackets, and then dropped a bomb," Duarte said. "The bomb exploded, and there was a big flame, there was a fire on board immediately. We picked up the fire extinguishers, we were able to fight the fire successfully, and everybody was safe, fortunately."
The Tunisian Interior Ministry issued a statement saying reports about a drone attack were unfounded and that specialized security units were investigating the results of a fire affecting a life jacket aboard one of the vessels. The ministry did not elaborate on a possible cause. The Israeli military and Israeli government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Family Boat has been reported to carry several high-profile activists, including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and former Barcelona mayor Ada Colau, although the group and authorities said it was not clear whether those individuals were aboard at the time of the reported incident.
Organizers said the incident would not derail the mission, with activist Thiago Ávila saying at the Tunis news conference that the episode had prompted renewed interest and volunteers for the flotilla. The movement, which activists call "Steadfastness" in Arabic, set sail from Barcelona last week and aims to challenge Israel's naval blockade of the Gaza Strip by delivering humanitarian supplies.
Activists have livestreamed parts of the voyage and earlier reported seeing drones overhead. The campaign argues that carrying doctors, artists, clergy and European politicians will spotlight the blockade and Israel's enforcement of it. Israel has previously characterized such efforts as publicity-oriented and has defended its blockade as necessary to prevent smuggling, particularly of weapons.
Smaller activist efforts have reached Gaza in past months, while other overland convoys seeking to reach Gaza through North Africa have been blocked by security forces, including those aligned with Egypt in eastern Libya. The Global Sumud Flotilla's planned voyage follows a smaller flotilla that crossed the Mediterranean three months ago and broader attempts to deliver aid by sea and land amid continuing hostilities and a blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Authorities in Tunis said they would continue their investigation into the cause of the fire and the circumstances aboard the vessel. The flotilla group said it planned a news conference in Tunis to provide further details on the incident and to reaffirm its intention to continue the mission to deliver aid to Gaza.