Organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying aid and pro-Palestinian activists said late Monday one of their boats was struck by a suspected drone. Tunisian authorities denied detecting any UAV activity, saying “no drones” had been identified in the area. No casualties were reported.
Issued on: 09/09/2025 -
By: FRANCE 24
The organisers of a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying humanitarian aid and pro-Palestinian activists said late Monday that one of their boats was hit by a suspected UAV but Tunisian authorities said "no drones" had been detected.
The flotilla, which aims to deliver aid to Gazans in defiance of Israel's blockade, arrived in Tunisia over the weekend and was anchored 50 miles from the port of Sidi Bou Said when it reported the incident.
"The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) confirms that one of the main boats... was struck by what is suspected to be a drone," the organisers said on social media, adding no one had been hurt.
The boat was in Tunisian waters when a fire broke out onboard and was quickly extinguished, according to an AFP journalist who arrived shortly after the flames had been doused.
Houcem Eddine Jebabli, a spokesman for Tunisia's national guard, said their investigation was "ongoing" but "no drones have been detected".
"According to preliminary findings, a fire broke out in the life jackets on board a ship anchored 50 miles from the port of Sidi Bou Said," he said.
Reports of a drone are "completely unfounded", the national guard said in a statement on its official Facebook page, suggesting that the fire may have been caused by a cigarette.
The Global Sumud Flotilla describes itself as an independent group not linked to any government or political party. Sumud means "resilience" in Arabic.
Among its high-profile participants is Greta Thunberg, who addressed pro-Palestinian campaigners in Tunisia on Sunday.
Israel has already blocked two attempts by activists to deliver aid by ship to Gaza, in June and July.
The United Nations declared a state of famine in parts of Gaza, warning that 500,000 people face "catastrophic" conditions.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Video: Gaza Flotilla Boat Struck by an Object in Tunisia Which Starts Fir
The organizers of the latest activist flotilla planning to sail to Gaza are reporting their vessel was struck by an object from the sky overnight, starting a small fire on deck. The group issued multiple videos while officials in Tunisia quickly rejected the claims of a drone attack.
The group, which is calling its effort the Global Sumud Flotilla, has been preparing in the Tunisian port of Sidi Bou Said since Sunday. Shortly before midnight local time on Monday, September 8, the group reports it saw a drone overhead at a height of 4 to 5 meters (13 to 16 feet), followed by an object falling from the drone and hitting the deck of the lead vessel of the flotilla.
A fire ensued, which the group said was caused by lifejackets on deck. They said the deck and the under-deck storage on the vessel registered in Portugal were damaged, but none of the six people aboard were injured. Among the individuals reported to be traveling on the vessel named Family and registered in Maderia is Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.
The incident coincided with the group's livestreaming reports. This morning, they held another press conference saying they are undeterred in their efforts to reach Gaza. Media reports are calling it a “luminous flying object,” while the group asserts the drone dropped a bomb onto their deck.
Tunisia’s Ministry of Interior issued a statement saying that the reports circulated “about a drone crashing onto a ship docked at Sidi Bou Said Port are completely false.” According to their version of the events, security units inspected the effects of the fire, saying it broke out in one of the life jackets and was quickly brought under control. They reported that the fire did not cause any human or material damage, except for the burning of several of the life jackets.
Since Sunday, boats that departed from Barcelona, Spain, and Genoa, Italy, have been massing in the Tunisian port. Organizers claim there are around 50 boats and activists representing 44 countries. They had previously been delayed by bad weather, but the current plan is to set sail on Wednesday. They hope to overwhelm the Israeli blockade, although reports from Israel show the navy staging exercises off Gaza.
Another effort in July with a single vessel was intercepted by the Israelis as it attempted to approach the coast and was escorted to port. The individuals aboard, including Greta Thunberg, were deported.
The first attempt was preparing off Malta in May when the group also claimed that its vessel was attacked by drones. The authorities in Malta aided with the firefight and reported minor damage to the vessel, which caused an end to the effort.
Organizers during their press event today asserted that a total of 37 boats have either been intercepted or turned away attempting to reach Gaza over the past 17 years. The Israelis have permitted international organizations to deliver aid from Cyprus and elsewhere under controlled conditions.
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