Malta holds emergency maritime security meeting after 'drone attack' off island

The Maritime Security Committee is urgently meeting on Friday to discuss an incident on board a Gaza-bound flotilla off Malta, which activists have blamed on a drone attack.

The committee comprises high-ranking officials, including the police, the Security Service, and from the ministries of home affairs, transport and foreign affairs.

Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri told Times of Malta that the committee, which incorporates officials from several ministries, held two meetings on Friday as details emerged of the incident.

Though nobody has assumed responsibility for the blast, many have pointed at Israel.

On Friday, the Gaza Freedom Flotilla issued an SOS distress signal over a fire aboard its vessel Conscience, which the activists claimed was caused by a drone attack. Nobody was injured. 

Hours later, it emerged that an Israeli military aircraft circled Malta on Thursday, hours before the blast.

Asked whether the government was looking closely at potential Israeli involvement, Camilleri was diplomatic: “The committee needs to investigate everything".

The minister said the Maltese authorities provided immediate assistance to the vessel through the Armed Forces of Malta and transport authorities. A Maltese rescue vessel remains stationed close to the flotilla 14 nautical miles away from the island.

The Larnaca Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) said it has been informed by the Cypriot Foreign Affairs Ministry that a vessel possibly transporting humanitarian aid to Gaza came under missile attack by an Israeli Unmanned Aerial Vehicle while sailing within the search and rescue region of Malta, the Cypriot rescue body said.

The incident sparked anger across the world, with many claiming that this was Israel's way of clamping down on opponents and acting with impunity. 

In a statement, Moviment Graffitti described the "violent act" so close to Malta's shores as "deeply alarming".

"Last night, a humanitarian ship on a mission to deliver aid to the starving people of Gaza was attacked by two drones near Maltese territorial waters. Just hours before the attack, the vessel had been de-flagged by the Republic of Palau, a move that suggests this was a planned assault by powerful actors," the Maltese NGO said.

Graffitti said this is a clear sign of Israel’s continued disregard for international law and human life, and is now striking very close to home.

"The Maltese government’s silence in the face of such a serious incident, that is widely seen as an attack on Europe is incomprehensible and unacceptable," it said in a statement issued shortly before Camilleri's declaration. 

"The Maltese authorities must act immediately to bring ashore the ship and the civilians now stranded at sea following this criminal attack. The government should also grant the vessel a Maltese flag as a sign of support for humanitarian efforts and international law.

"Furthermore, Malta must open an investigation into this drone attack and clarify whether Maltese airspace was used to target a civilian humanitarian ship and if its sovereignty has been violated."

Turkey, which said it had nationals on board the vessel, strongly condemned "this attack on a civilian ship, which threatens freedom of navigation and maritime security in international waters".

"There are allegations that the ship was targeted by Israeli drones. All necessary initiatives will be taken to reveal the details of the attack as soon as possible and to hold the perpetrators accountable," a foreign ministry statement said.

A previous "Freedom Flotilla" sailed from southern Turkey in 2010 but ended in bloodshed when Israeli forces stormed the Mavi Marmara vessel, killing 10 people and wounding 28.