Commander of the Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Center, Andreas Charalambides, said that a Cypriot company ship aided a vessel that was engulfed in flames while in international territorial waters off Malta.
The Commander was invited to comment on a news item published by Reuters, citing the international NGO “Freedom Flotilla Coalition”, according to which, Cyprus responded by sending a vessel to assist in an SOS distress call sent by a ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists, which was hit by drones on Friday while in international territorial waters off Malta.
Charalambides clarified that a ship of a Cypriot company that was in the area, in the context of the practice followed in similar cases of danger at sea, headed to the scene to provide assistance to the ship and helped extinguish the fire.
Moreover, he said that “the information published today, according to which Cyprus sent any means to provide assistance, is not valid”.
According to the news item, “the NGO published video footage, filmed in darkness, showing a fire on one of its ships, the Conscience. The footage showed lights in the sky in front of the ship and the sound of explosions could be heard”.
It also says that the Maltese government said maritime authorities had received a mayday call shortly after midnight local time from a vessel outside of territorial waters, with 12 crew members and four civilians on board, reporting a fire.
The NGO said on its social media that the drone attack appears to have specifically targeted the ship’s generator and the ship was at risk of sinking with 30 international human rights activists on board, adding that the ship issued an SOS distress call after being hit 17 nautical miles (31.5 kilometers) east of Malta.
It is noted that the Coalition is campaigning to end Israel’s blockade of Gaza.
( Source:CNA)
