'We Are Not Giving Up': Volunteers After Ship Carrying Aid to Gaza Hit by Drones

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was scheduled to board the ship from Malta before it was hit by drones.

A ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza was attacked by a drone around 14 nautical miles off the coast of Malta in international waters.

(Image Accessed by The Quint via Freedom Flotilla Coalition)

“We are not giving up. We are responding to a cry for solidarity from Gaza. These attacks will not silence us,” said Thiago Avila, an organiser with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FCC), hours after an anchored ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza was struck by armed drones.

The FCC—a coalition comprising campaigners from over 21 countries—has been advocating for the end of what it calls Israel’s “illegal siege” on the Palestinian territory.

Intended to break Israel’s blockade in Gaza and deliver food, medical supplies, and other essential aid, the ship organised by the FFC was making final preparations for the voyage to Gaza when it suffered two separate drone attacks on Friday, 2 May in international waters off Malta.

Flames of fire that broke out after the anchored ship was attacked by the drones.

(Image Accessed by The Quint via FCC)

The ship, a 68-foot-long civilian vessel named Conscience, was anchored 14 nautical miles (25 kilometres) off the coast of Malta. The drones caused significant damage, particularly to the generators, igniting a fire and tearing open a substantial breach in the hull.

The attack once again raises alarms over the safety of international aid missions and the legality of military interventions in international waters. However, despite the risks, the coalition says it will continue with its mission.

Following the attack, the vessel remains immobilised off the coast of Malta.

(Image Accessed by The Quint via FCC)

Timeline of the Attack

A detailed testimony from a crew member, who spoke to The Quint, painted a harrowing picture of the night:

● 12:11 am local time: The first explosion rang out in the dark, causing an immediate blackout on the vessel. The explosion, reportedly from a drone strike, was not directly on the ship but close enough to knock out the electricity.

● 12:13-12:15 am: Within minutes, a second explosion struck, this time much closer. The strike hit the area near the front generators—crucial systems that power the ship’s operations, triggering a massive blaze.

● 12:20 am: A mysterious transmission came over the ship’s radio frequency. The voice, claiming to be from the Conscience itself, falsely stated: “We are in good condition.” Crew members immediately identified it as disinformation, possibly aimed at discouraging emergency response.

● 1:09 am: After nearly an hour of frantic self-managed firefighting, a maritime fire response vessel arrived.

● 1:25 am: Official firefighting efforts began, although initial support was withdrawn prematurely. The crew had to re-request help before a firefighter was dispatched onboard.

● 2:10 am: Amid firefighting, all remaining internet and electrical systems on the Conscience were disabled. The crew scrambled to regain functionality while trying to keep the vessel from sinking.

● 3:10 am: After almost three hours of coordinated effort, the fire was fully extinguished.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg was scheduled to board the Conscience from Malta.

(Image Accessed by The Quint via FCC)

Despite the scale of the attack, there were no reported injuries among those onboard — a crew of 12 and four passengers, according to Maltese authorities. However, the FFC denied this, saying at least 30 people were on the ship at the time, including international volunteers and civilian staff. The Quint could not independently verify the numbers.

The Aftermath of the Drone Strikes

As of Friday evening, the Conscience remained anchored in international waters off the coast of Malta, heavily damaged but afloat. Partial power to the vessel was restored, but communications remained limited.

As of Friday evening, the Conscience remained anchored in international waters off the coast of Malta, heavily damaged but afloat.

(Image Accessed by The Quint via FCC)

In the meantime, the FCC is negotiating with the Maltese authorities for a safe passage to dock, as well as organising support boats to deliver supplies and conduct further assessments of the ship’s condition. While the coalition did not directly accuse Israel of carrying out the attack, it demanded that "Israeli ambassadors be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters."

As per the flight-tracking data, accessed by The Quint, an Israeli Air Force C-130 Hercules cargo plane was seen taking off from Israel early Thursday afternoon and flying low over eastern Malta for an extended period. The aircraft never landed but circled the area for several hours before returning to Israel, shortly before the drone strikes occurred.

Maritime fire response vessel volunteered to douse the fire.

(Image Accessed by The Quint via FCC)

When pressed, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson declined to comment on the role in the attack. The Israeli government has also issued no statement.

Activists, however, believe the drone strikes were a deliberate attempt to sabotage the mission before it could set sail. Post the attack, the FFC confirmed that it had enforced a strict media blackout prior to the launch to avoid exactly this kind of sabotage.

'Not the First Attack on FCC Ships'

Climate activist Greta Thunberg, who was scheduled to board the Conscience from Malta, called the attack an "outrage".

“For two months now, not a single bottle of water has entered Gaza. It’s a systematic starvation of two million people Our peaceful humanitarian mission has been met with military force."

Greta Thunberg told reporters

The incident has revived memories of the deadly 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla, in which nine activists were killed and dozens injured. That raid also occurred in international waters and sparked global condemnation.

“The only reason civilians like us are risking this journey to deliver life-saving aid to Gaza is because governments across the world have completely failed to halt Israel’s campaign of extermination,” said Huwaida Arraf, a flotilla organiser and survivor of the 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla, in a statement.

“What happened today off the coast of Malta wasn’t just piracy—it was a direct result of global complicity,” Arraf claimed.

In a statement provided to The Quint via the FCC’s spokesperson, Arraf added, “I survived the 2010 attack... Since then, Israel has only grown more brazen in its disregard for international law and human life. The bloodshed then—and now—is on the hands of every government that has enabled Israel through silence, weapons, and impunity.”

“This was a premeditated act to destroy our ship and stop humanitarian aid from reaching Gaza,” added flotilla organiser Avila, who was onboard the sister ship, Handala.

Retired US Army Colonel Mary Ann Wright, who was also part of the delegation due to board, condemned the drone strikes.

"Anyone could have been on that boat — it could have been Greta, it could have been me. The ship was anchored, clearly civilian, and preparing for a humanitarian voyage."

Retired US Army Colonel Mary Ann Wright

What Next?

Following the attack, the Conscience remains immobilised. The FCC has appealed to the Maltese government to allow the ship to dock for repairs and safety, warning that the vessel is vulnerable to further attacks if left at sea.

Hüseyin Dişli, legal counsel to the FCC, told The Quint that as their mission represents compliance with ICJ [International Court of Justice ] provisional measures, safeguarding it is “an imperative legal duty of all states – and a moral duty of all nations.”

Disli added that any attack on the FCC ships constitutes a "violation of international law in multiple layers."

As per international law, Freedom Flotilla ships have the right to free passage in international waters, and moreover, all States, including Israel, must permit and facilitate their freedom of navigation and provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza.

According to the vessel tracking website Marine Traffic, the Conscience departed from the Tunisian port of Bizerte on Tuesday, 29 April, and reached the area where it reportedly came under attack by Thursday morning. The ship was en route to a location near Malta to rendezvous with a smaller vessel carrying activists, including Thunberg.

In Gaza, humanitarian organisations have run out of flour and other essential food supplies. Officials in the war-ravaged Palestinian territory warned on Friday that community kitchens—vital for feeding those with no other means—would be forced to shut down within a week to 10 days.

The International Committee of the Red Cross also issued a stark warning on Friday, stating that it would no longer have access to the food, medicine, and life-saving supplies required for many of its relief programmes in Gaza unless aid deliveries resume immediately.