The Maltese government has said that no aircraft or vessel which has been named by local and foreign media in connection with an attack on the NGO ship ‘Conscience’ entered Maltese airspace or waters at any point in time.
In a statement, the government said that the Malta Maritime Security Committee (MMSC) has been meeting since the early morning in order to monitor the situation in relation to the situation of the vessel ‘Conscience’.
The MMSC is composed of all the relevant public authorities with competence in maritime and, in this case, aerial security.
The ‘Conscience’ – a vessel belonging to the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, which works to try and funnel aid into the blockaded Gaza Strip – suffered a fire over the course of last night. The coalition said in a statement that its vessel, which had 16 people onboard, was struck by an armed drone.
It was in international waters just outside Malta’s territory at the time of the attack. The Malta Vessel Traffic Services dispatched a tugboat which was in the area to help put the fire out, and an Armed Forces of Malta patrol boat was also sent on site.
Reports later on Friday said that an Israeli Air Force C-130 Hercules flew into Maltese airspace and patrolled the area around Hurd’s Bank – where the coalition vessel was – at an altitude as low as 5,000 feet.
The bombing happened only hours later. There is no confirmation of a link between the Israeli military plane and what happened to the Flotilla.
However, the government said that it was not the case that any aircraft or vessel involved in this situation ever entered Maltese airspace or territorial waters.
“Whilst reiterating the commitment to abide by all international treaties and legislation the country is obliged to follow, the committee clarifies that at no point in time, during the past 48 hours, any aircraft or vessel, currently mentioned in local and foreign media in relation to the case of the vessel Conscience, entered Maltese Sovereign Airspace or the Territorial sea (12 nautical miles from shore),” the government said.
“Therefore the territorial integrity of the Republic of Malta was never compromised at any stage,” it added.
The government said that the MMSC will keep on monitoring the situation, whilst assistance will be provided to the vessel, according to what is stipulated under international law.
The ‘Conscience’ meanwhile remained on Hurd’s Bank just outside Maltese territorial waters at the time of writing. A video from crew of the ship said that it had no power as of Friday morning.