Greta Thunberg’s flotilla sends distress: “Drone over our ship!” | WATCH 

Environmental activist Greta Thunberg and 11 others aboard the Madleen, a vessel operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, have issued an urgent call for support after reporting that a drone has been hovering over their ship. “We need your support! There’s a drone on top of our ship!” came the alarmed message from activists late Tuesday, as the crew continued its journey across the Mediterranean.

The Madleen, which departed from the Sicilian port of Catania on June 1, is bound for Gaza as part of a protest voyage aimed at challenging Israel’s blockade. The group includes a high-profile mix of international figures: Thunberg, Game of Thrones actor Liam Cunningham, and French-Palestinian Member of the European Parliament Rima Hassan. The source and purpose of the drone remain unclear, but the incident has sparked concerns about surveillance, intimidation, or possible interference with the mission.

The mission aims to deliver a “limited but symbolic” amount of humanitarian aid, such as food and medical supplies, to Gaza and to raise international awareness about the humanitarian crisis there, with the stated goal of “breaking Israel’s siege” of the territory. The journey is expected to take about seven days, provided the vessel is not intercepted.

This is the coalition’s second attempt in recent weeks, following a May 2025 incident where another ship, the Conscience, was disabled by a drone attack off Malta’s coast, which organizers attributed to Israel. Thunberg was scheduled to join that earlier mission but was not on board during the attack.