![Supporters of the Sumud Flotilla flocked to the port of Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia, on Tuesday night, after the flotilla said one of their ships was attacked by a drone [Mohamed Messara/EPA]](https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/13329672-1757397829.webp)
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Rabat – The Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF) says its main ship, the Family Boat, was attacked by a drone late Monday night while anchored off the coast of Tunisia. The group reported that the drone dropped an incendiary device, causing a fire on the vessel. All six passengers and crew on board escaped unharmed.
Video footage, verified by Al Jazeera, appears to show a device falling from the sky and exploding on the ship’s foredeck. The fire was quickly put out, but left visible damage to the deck and storage areas.
Activist Miguel Duarte, who was on the ship, said he clearly saw a drone hovering just above the boat before dropping what he described as a bomb. “There was a huge explosion, lots of fire, big flames… We could have been killed,” he told Middle East Eye.
However, Tunisian authorities denied that a drone was involved. The National Guard said their investigation showed the fire may have started accidentally, possibly from a lighter or cigarette butt igniting life jackets stored on board. “No drone was detected,” officials said.
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The incident has sparked anger in Tunisia and beyond. Hundreds of people gathered at the port of Sidi Bou Said, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans in support of the flotilla’s mission to break Israel’s blockade on Gaza.
The GSF accused Israel of being behind the attack. Israel has intercepted or attacked every flotilla attempting to reach Gaza since 2010. Israel has not commented on the latest incident.
UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese said that if the attack is confirmed, it would be “an assault on Tunisian sovereignty” and called for urgent protection for the flotilla.
The Family Boat is carrying the GSF’s steering committee, which includes activists such as Yasemin Acar, Greta Thunberg, and Thiago Avila. The flotilla plans to set sail from Tunisia toward Gaza on Wednesday, as part of an international effort to deliver humanitarian aid.
“The attack will not stop us,” the group said in a statement. “Our peaceful mission to break the siege on Gaza and stand with its people continues with determination.”
In June, Israel illegally intercepted the Madleen, a Gaza-bound aid ship carrying activists, including Greta Thunberg, in international waters. The vessel was seized by the Israeli navy about 200km from Gaza and taken to Ashdod port.
All activists on board were detained and later deported, an action the flotilla organizers condemned as illegal under international law. Israel defended the move and insisted the blockade on Gaza must be enforced, dismissing the flotilla as a publicity stunt.
