UPDATE 2 - Gaza-bound aid ship assisted by tugboat after drone attack

UPDATES WITH HAMAS STATEMENT, CHANGES IN HEADLINE, DECK, LEDE

By Ahmet Gencturk and Ahmed Asmar

ATHENS (AA) – A ship bound for Gaza carrying humanitarian aid, bombed by drones in international waters off Malta early on Friday, was secured in the early hours of the morning after a nearby tug assisted with firefighting operations.

The tugboat responded to a distress call from the Conscience, which caught a fire that was brought under control.

The vessel was carrying 12 crew members and four civilians, the Maltese government said. The group was safe and no serious injuries were reported.

“At around 2.13 am (0013GMT) it was confirmed that those on board were all safe, but all refused to leave the ship,” it said, adding that the situation was brought under control by 3.45 a.m. (0145GMT).

The vessel is still in international waters and is being monitored by authorities, the statement added.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, the group which organized the mission, accused Israel of attacking its ship. In a statement, it said “Israeli ambassadors must be summoned and answer to violations of international law, including the ongoing blockade and the bombing of our civilian vessel in international waters.”

Francesca Albanese, the UN rapporteur for Palestine, said she was shocked that political leaders were not denouncing the attack on the civilian ship delivering aid to a starving population.

"EU leaders should condemn this act, demand an urgent investigation & urgent access to the ship, stranded in int'l waters," she said on X.

Palestinian Hamas group also accused Israel of being behind the attack, urging the UN Security Council "to intervene to stop the violations" by Israel.

In a statement, Hamas said the Israeli drone attack on a vessel "sailing in international waters en-route to deliver humanitarian aid to our people in the Gaza Strip constitutes a blatant act of piracy and organized state-terrorism."

The attack "reflects the terrorist nature of the occupation entity (Israel) and its flagrant defiance of the will of humanity and justice," it added.

Israel has cut off Gaza from all imports, including food and medicine, since early March, leading to a humanitarian crisis and famine-like conditions.