Mariana Mortágua, Sofia Aparício, and Miguel Duarte's aid boat under assault by drone in humanitarian mission
The Portuguese-flagged ship, known as the "family boat", which is part of a humanitarian fleet, was attacked by a drone in Tunisia early this morning. The incident occurred while the ship was docked, with Miguel Duarte, a prominent activist, on board. Fortunately, all crew and passengers on the ship are safe.
The attack caused a small fire on board, which was quickly extinguished, resulting in only superficial damages to the vessel. An investigation is underway following the incident.
Miguel Duarte had previously lamented the presence of drones flying over the ships that departed from Barcelona last week. He stated that the delegation had not yet crossed paths with Italian ships, and the plan was to meet "at sea".
The ships of the humanitarian fleet arrived in Tunisia on Sunday, where they were greeted by hundreds of Tunisians who gathered at the port to show solidarity with the fleet. The ships plan to leave Tunisia on Wednesday morning in the direction of the Gaza Strip.
However, the flotilla's arrival in Gaza is difficult to predict, initially scheduled for mid-September. There will now be a delay of a few days due to the attack.
Wael Naouar, spokesperson for the Maghreb fleet, confirmed that only Tunisians will stay to guard the ships tonight. The ships in Tunisia will make a stop to collect more aid and make repairs before setting sail again.
Mariana Mortágua, another passenger on another boat, stated that the drone launched a fire device. She also reiterated that the mission cannot and will not be stopped and will continue.
The United Nations Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian Territory has expressed concern, stating that two other ships are on their way to Tunisia and need urgent protection.
It's important to note that the name of the person who was on board the ship before the action on Sunday and afterwards confirmed that the ship could continue is not explicitly mentioned in the search results.
This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks faced by humanitarian missions aiming to provide aid to those in need, particularly in conflict zones like Gaza. The fleet's determination to continue their mission despite the attack is commendable and underscores their commitment to humanitarian values.
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