Watch: Six Turkish activists disembark stricken Gaza aid ship to fly home

Updated 9.30pm

Six activists who were on board the stricken Gaza-bound vessel Conscience have been brought to shore by the Armed Forces of Malta on Monday afternoon as a government appointed surveyor was allowed on board.

A spokesperson for the Freedom Flotilla Coalition told Times of Malta the six activists were all Turkish nationals.

"They're traumatised from the attack but all fine health-wise," the spokesperson said. "We were only allowed to speak to them for five minutes at the airport before they were put on a plane".

There were emotional scenes at the airport on Monday evening as the six Turkish activists were briefly reunited with their colleagues before being whisked away to a waiting Turkish Airlines plane.

In a video posted by Freedom Flotilla Coalition, one of the men comments that "there were really some strange things going on". 

Another activist said: "We were the ones who get bombed but they are acting like we are the ones who bombed someone." 

Speaking in Parliament on Monday afternoon, prime minister Robert Abela announced a government appointed surveyor was finally allowed to go on board the Conscience vessel to assess the damage it sustained last Friday.

Abela revealed that after initially tying the surveyor’s visit with an automatic entry into Malta’s harbour, the captain of the stricken ship this morning agreed to allow the government’s surveyor to go on board without this pre-condition.

On Sunday, the government offered the Freedom Flotilla Coalition to assist in repairing the vessel at sea, even at the government’s own expense, to enable the ship to carry with its journey to Gaza “as long as it was only carrying humanitarian aid”.

The FFC initially welcomed the news that a surveyor could come on board the vessel provided that the boat would immediately be allowed to sail into Malta’s harbour, a request that the government declined to accept.

Abela insisted the government would send the surveyor but the boat would remain anchored at its current location just outside Maltese territorial waters.

On Monday morning, the FCC informed the government a surveyor could be allowed on board but only if he were accompanied by three other people. The government rejected this condition as these three people “did not seem to be linked to the owner of the vessel”, Abela said.

Later, the FCC agreed to allow the surveyor on board without any further conditions. While addressing parliament, Abela said the government-appointed surveyor Leo Desira was on his way to board the vessel and start his investigations.

He also said that six of the crew on board the Conscience had requested to disembark so they could fly back home.

The request was accepted by the government and the crew were taken ashore by the Armed Forces of Malta, landing in Senglea, to proceed immediately to the airport where they will catch a flight to their home countries.

The prime minister also met with Opposition leader Bernard Grech on Monday. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Ian Borg, Home Affairs and Security Minister Byron Camilleri and Transport Minister Chris Bonett.

The PN leader had written a letter to the prime minister on Saturday asking for an urgent meeting and calling for a united national front beyond partisan politics.

Replying to the prime minister in parliament, Grech welcomed the “satisfactory” meeting adding there was unanimous agreement about the safety and security of Maltese citizens as well as the people on board the vessel.

Times of Malta reported military experts on Monday saying that images and clips of a blast aboard the Conscience indicate it was caused by loitering munition.

"Cannot speculate" 

Speaking to journalists outside parliament, prime minister Robert Abela said it was "too early" to determine whether the vessel was the target of an attack, following Friday’s incident that left the ship damaged.

He cautioned against speculation saying, “If it was attacked, you are saying it was attacked. That is fact that still needs to be determined.”

His comments come despite military and security experts telling Times of Malta the ship had been the victim of a “calculated attack.”

Abela also refused to confirm whether Israel was involved, saying he was “not in a position to say if it was an attack on that end or not.”

“In a sensitive situation, the worst thing you can do is speculate,” he said.

Asked why some of the crew members were leaving, Abela declined to give details, but stressed the government had acted swiftly.

“We have given all the diplomatic aid that is necessary,” he said.

The vessel was previously flagged under Palau, but this was withdrawn on the same day it sustained damage. The ship is now unflagged, and Abela said Malta was not in a position to assume responsibility for it.

“As if our port authority can assume this responsibility. We are talking about a ship that is 52 years old, without a flag, without insurance and is not categorised,” he said.

However, he said that if the vessel’s purpose was confirmed to be humanitarian, Malta would assist it in reaching its destination.

“If the aim of this vessel is for humanitarian aid, we will help it to its destination so it can supply that humanitarian aid,” he said.

Still, he noted that it had yet to be confirmed whether the vessel was indeed carrying humanitarian cargo.

Abela also said there was a possibility the ship had not sustained sufficient damage to prevent it from continuing its voyage, but this would be determined by the surveyor’s report.