A drone struck the lead vessel of a flotilla headed for the Gaza Strip that included Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, organizers said Monday, setting parts of the boat ablaze while it sat in a Tunisian port.
The group Global Sumud Flotilla said the strike hit the Portuguese-flagged “Family Boat” in the port of Sidi Bou Said and caused fire and damage to the main deck and below-deck storage. The flotilla said members of its Steering Committee, including Thunberg, were on the vessel when the explosion occurred. Organizers and authorities said all six passengers and crew aboard the boat were safe.
Video posted by the group showed a flash and two people on the vessel running across a deck, and additional footage captured people shouting that the forward deck was ablaze as large flames rose. In a written statement, the Global Sumud Flotilla said the mission would continue and that “acts of aggression aimed at intimidating and derailing our mission will not deter us.” The group has described the expedition as a solidarity effort intended to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza.
The flotilla left Barcelona on Aug. 31 and comprises roughly 20 boats that organizers called “the largest solidarity mission” in history. Thunberg, who has been publicly critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza, had said before departure that the mission was part of “a global uprising of people standing up” against what she described as atrocities in Gaza.
Israeli media had warned before the flotilla’s departure that Israel planned to intercept the vessels and could detain activists. Israel Hayom reported that authorities intended to hold some activists in conditions it described as equivalent to “terrorist-level” detention; the report did not link Israel to Monday’s reported drone strike. The flotilla’s organizers said the incident is under investigation and provided no further details about the drone’s origin.
There was no immediate independent confirmation of who carried out the strike. Tunisian port or national authorities did not immediately issue detailed public statements identifying a perpetrator or describing investigative steps beyond saying those aboard the affected vessel were safe.
The incident adds to a pattern of tensions surrounding international aid missions to Gaza and high-profile attempts to challenge the maritime blockade. Organizers said the mission would press on while seeking further information about the strike, and they called on international observers to investigate. Independent verification and official responses from regional governments and military authorities remained pending at the time of the report.
The flotilla’s organizers said there was no change to their stated goal of delivering aid and solidarity to Gaza. The scope of damage beyond the immediate fires and any impact on the wider mission will depend on the outcome of ongoing inquiries and assessments by authorities and the flotilla itself.