Ship allegedly attacked by drones off Malta is part of Turkish flotilla bound for Gaza - report

The independent blog Intelli Times reported on Saturday that the ship attacked on the night of May 2 near the coast of Malta was part of a pre-planned Turkish maritime flotilla intended to break the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip.

The ship was reportedly linked to entities associated with the IHH organization (a Turkish humanitarian relief NGO), which also played a role in organizing the 2010 Mavi Marmara flotilla.

According to the Intelli Times investigation, the ship had been leased for the flotilla as early as April 2024. It underwent a name change and concealed its identity by hiding its IMO number, the international maritime identification number. The connection was revealed following Turkish media coverage at the time, which published the ship’s original details.

The investigation further found that over the past year, the ship docked at a Turkish port, likely Tuzla, for renovation and preparation.

Additionally, before reaching Malta, the ship had been documented at ports in Tunisia and Libya – an unusual maritime route for a civilian aid vessel, which raises suspicion about the nature of the cargo and the actors behind it.

The ship departed from Europe in late April and remained under surveillance until the moment of the attack, which was reportedly carried out by drones that caused severe damage to the ship’s generators and propulsion systems.

This revelation highlights a familiar pattern seen in previous flotillas, such as the Mavi Marmara in 2010 – the use of civilian vessels, concealment of affiliation, and an attempt to generate international pressure, all backed by anti-Israeli aid organizations.

Israeli air force plane took off from Nevatim hours before the attack

According to open sources, an Israeli Air Force Hercules aircraft took off for the Malta area hours before the mysterious attack.

The plane departed from Nevatim Airbase on Thursday at around 1 p.m., arrived in Malta, and then returned to Israel shortly after 5 p.m.

The aircraft landed back in Israel at approximately 9 p.m., about 5 hours before the attack. Pro-Palestinian sources, as well as activists aboard the ship, blamed Israel for the attack, claiming it was carried out using explosive drones.

Israeli security officials declined to comment on the incident but claimed the ship also carried Hamas-affiliated activists.