By Nuri Aydin
ISTANBUL (AA) - Six Turkish citizens who were on board a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship that reportedly came under a drone attack in international waters off Malta returned to Türkiye over the weekend, sources with the Turkish Foreign Ministry said Monday.
The sources said they are all in good health.
Efforts were carried out in cooperation with Maltese authorities to transfer them to a safe location, the sources added.
The Conscience, operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, caught fire after reportedly being struck by drones early Friday while carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Maltese government confirmed the fire was contained with the help of a nearby tugboat and that all 12 crew members and four civilians on board were safe, although they refused to abandon the ship.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Keceli on Friday condemned "in the strongest terms" the attack, which "threatens freedom of navigation and maritime security in international waters."
"There are allegations that the ship was targeted by Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles. All necessary efforts will be made to reveal the details of the attack as soon as possible and to bring the perpetrators to justice," Keceli said.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition blamed Israel for the attack, calling for Israeli ambassadors to be summoned over what it described as violations of international law, including the blockade and bombing of the civilian ship.