By Rania Abu Shamala
ISTANBUL (AA) - A large warship was spotted early Wednesday near the Gaza-bound Global Sumud Flotilla as its organizers reported a state of high alert at sea.
Contact has been restored with the Alma ship after being lost for a short time, said an Al Jazeera correspondent on board the flotilla.
According to the correspondent, an Israeli vessel came within just five feet of the Alma, the lead ship in the flotilla, and jammed all of its communication systems as well as its engine, rendering them inoperative.
He added that participants on board the Alma threw their phones into the sea in line with established security protocols.
The correspondent later reported that the Israeli vessel had left the area, allowing the flotilla to resume its course toward the shores of the Gaza Strip.
The flotilla, which is sailing to challenge Israel’s blockade of Gaza, announced that its vessels are now about 121 nautical miles (225 kilometers) from the besieged enclave.