The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), a ship carrying aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, claimed that it was struck by a drone off the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou, which caused smoke and fire, but all passengers were reported to be safe. Israel's drone targeted the vessel on Monday night, said the official spokesman of GSF. The Tunisian National Guard denied the claim of a drone attack, saying it was “completely unfounded”.
The Tunisian suggested that the smoke blew due to the burning of a life jacket, due to a cigarette or a lighter. However, GSF stayed on the statement that it was a drone attack and Israel was involved in the incident.
GSF also shared a CCTV footage of the Flotilla board, which captures a loud sound, a flash of redish light and chaos can be heard for help. “This was 100 per cent a drone that dropped a bomb,” one activist said in a video posted by Brazilian campaigner Thiago Avila.
Tunisian officials denied the claim of a drone attack, saying no drones have been detected at the site. "Preliminary findings suggested the blaze broke out in the life jackets," spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli told the news agency AFP.
The flotilla, made up of more than 20 boats and carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists, including Greta Thunberg, set sail from Barcelona in late August with the stated goal of breaking Israel's blockade on the Gaza Strip.
The Portuguese-flagged “Family,” carrying the flotilla’s steering committee, said that the drone attack led to fire damage to its main deck and below-deck storage. Portuguese activist Miguel Duarte, who was on the drone-hit board, describes the incident. Duarte said that he saw a drone about four meters above his head.
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He said that the drone moved slowly to the forward part of the ship and dropped a bomb on the starting part of the ship deck, resulting in a huge blast and fire with a big flame and smoke onboard.
Francesca Albanese in post on X (formerly Twitter) said, "at the port now trying to figure out the facts, with local authorities and flotilla people."
“Acts of aggression aimed at intimidating and derailing our mission will not deter us. Our peaceful mission to break the siege on Gaza and stand in solidarity with its people continues with determination and resolve,” the GSF said.