The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) has confirmed that its principal vessel, the Family Boat, was struck by what it suspects was a drone while anchored off the Tunisian coast, sparking a fire on board. The ship, sailing under a Portuguese flag, was carrying six people, including members of the GSF steering committee such as Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, German human rights campaigner Yasemin Acar, and Brazilian socio-environmentalist Thiago Avila. All passengers and crew are safe and managed to extinguish the blaze themselves.
Footage posted on Instagram by the GSF shows what it says is the moment the vessel was hit, with an incendiary device dropping from above, causing an explosion and flames. The video was verified by Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking unit. Miguel Duarte, an activist on board, told Middle East Eye that he saw a drone hovering four metres above before releasing “a bomb” that caused a large fire on deck, adding: “We could have been killed.” Another crew member described the fire as lasting around five to six minutes, with two people sleeping near the impact zone when the explosion occurred.
The attack has been condemned by flotilla organisers, who accused Israel of responsibility. Saif Abukeshek, a Palestinian activist and steering committee member, said: “There is no other authority that would do such an attack, such a crime, except the Israeli authorities. They have been committing genocide for the past 22 months, and they are willing to attack a peaceful, non-violent flotilla.” He added that the participants were determined to continue their mission: “We will continue within our mission. We will continue our preparation as soon as we make sure the ships are safe and the crew and the participants are safe. We will continue to break the siege on Gaza.”
Israel has not commented on the incident. However, it has a history of intercepting Gaza-bound flotillas, having stopped or attacked all previous attempts since 2010.
UN special rapporteur Francesca Albanese called for urgent protection for the flotilla, warning that if confirmed as a drone strike, it would constitute an attack not only on civilians but also on Tunisian sovereignty. She noted that threats had already been made against the flotilla and argued the incident fits a pattern of aggression against vessels attempting to reach Gaza. “Again, we cannot keep on tolerating this and normalising the illegal,” she said.
In Tunis, crowds gathered at the port of Sidi Bou Said in solidarity with the flotilla crew. David Adler, co-general coordinator of Progressive International, posted on X that “masses are mobilising” at the port following the incident.
Tunisia’s National Guard, however, disputed the flotilla’s account. Spokesman Houcem Eddine Jebabli told AFP that preliminary findings indicated the fire began after life jackets ignited, possibly due to a lighter or cigarette butt. In a statement posted on Facebook, the security agency said no drone was detected in the area and called claims of a drone strike “completely unfounded.”
The Family Boat is the flotilla’s principal ship, carrying its steering committee. Its crew had previously been aboard the Madleen, which was seized by Israeli forces near Gaza in June, with its passengers detained and deported. The flotilla, comprising several vessels currently gathered off the Tunisian coast, aims to set sail for Gaza later this week.