A boat carrying Greta Thunberg towards Gaza has reportedly been set ablaze in a suspected drone strike off the coast of North Africa.
The 22-year-old Swedish climate activist is involved in a contentious group of approximately 350 activists and humanitarian workers, embarking on what they call a ‘peaceful mission’ to bring supplies to Palestinians in Gaza.
However, reports surfaced overnight that one of their vessels, known as the Family Boat, which sails under a Portuguese flag and includes members of the flotilla’s Steering Committee, Greta among them, came under attack when a drone struck, igniting a fire off the North African coast.
A gripping video shared on Instagram by fellow activist Yasemin Acar captured the aftermath of this event. She proclaimed: ‘The Family Boat has been officially attacked. A drone hovered over it, dropped a bomb, resulting in an explosion and subsequent fire. Thankfully, everyone on the boat is unharmed and the fire has been extinguished.’
She explained that the vessel, navigating Tunisian waters at the time, was carrying many of the same individuals who had previously been detained alongside Greta during an earlier June mission to reach Gaza.
‘They have bombed a boat carrying civilians in Tunisian waters. This amounts to an assault against Gaza because they wish to prevent our arrival. We need you to mobilize. Let’s not stay silent,’ she urged.
The boat reportedly only incurred minor damage.
The boat carrying Greta Thunberg has been ‘set on fire by a drone’, witnesses have reported
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg waves from a boat taking part in a civilian flotilla bound for Gaza, aiming to break the Israeli blockade
The boat reportedly only incurred minor damage
Map showing the last location of the Family Boat which Greta and other activists are travelling on
The convoy first tried to leave on Sunday but returned to port because of stormy weather
The organization behind this mission, the Global Sumud Flotilla (GSF), later validated the suspected attack. They issued a statement declaring: ‘The Global Sumud Flotilla confirms that one of the main vessels, referred to as the ‘Family Boat’, which held GSF Steering Committee members, was impacted by what is suspected to be a drone.’
‘The boat was under the Portuguese flag and all passengers and crew are safe. An investigation is currently underway and when more information is available it will be released immediately.
‘Acts of aggression aimed at intimidating and derailing our mission will not deter us. Our peaceful mission to break the siege on Gaza and stand in solidarity with its people continues with determination and resolve.’
While no nation has officially claimed responsibility for the incident, Israel has previously described the flotilla’s volunteers as ‘terrorists’, warning that they would be subject to arrest if they attempted to breach the naval blockade.
Speaking from Tunisia on Sunday, where she was welcomed by cheering crowds in the port of Sidi Bou Said as their boat docked there, she declared: ‘We all know why we are here. Just across the water there’s a genocide going on, a mass starvation by Israel’s murder machine.’
It comes after a number of drones were spotted flying over the Global Sumud Flotilla a week ago.
Speaking in another Instagram video, Yasemin said: ‘We have detected the first drones…From what we can tell and the information we are getting, every boat right now in the flotilla has a drone above them.’
Acar’s video address came as the flotilla was around 90 nautical miles from the Spanish island of Menorca.
‘We are watching them very closely trying to figure out which drones they are and what they are here for’, she added.
It comes after Greta was deported by Israel back in June when the ship she was traveling on with 11 other people, the Madleen, was stopped by the Israeli military.
At the time, Israel was accused of using drones to spray an irritant substance on Greta’s flotilla before boarding and detaining her and other activists.
Pictures from the Sidi Bou Said port in Tunisia on Sunday showed huge crowds had gathered around the 22-year-old as she docked in their port on route, she said: ‘We all know why were are here’
Thunberg was seen taking pictures as she waited to depart on board a vessel with fellow campaigners
Greta Thunberg pictured in the early morning of Monday, June 9, 2025, after the Israeli Defense Forces boarded the ‘Madleen,’ a small civilian maritime vessel previously bound for Gaza with humanitarian aid, and rerouted those on board toward Israel
Greta Thunberg ‘s aid flotilla headed for Gaza was targeted by drones overnight, according to reports. Pictured: Greta Thunberg attends the press conference prior to the flotilla depart on August 31, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain
Images showed the deck splattered with an unidentified white liquid. Activist Yasmin Acar, among the 12 on board, said it had been deployed by Israel and was affecting her eyes.
Despite her deportation in June, the activist has shown no signs of backing down as she departed from Barcelona on the Global Sumud flotilla on Sunday to deliver humanitarian aid to the Palestinian enclave.
The maritime convoy of about 20 boats and delegations from 44 countries is claimed to be the largest attempt to date to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip by sea, which has now lasted 18 years.
They will be joined by more ships from ports in Italy and Tunisia in the coming days, on the route from the western end of the Mediterranean to the Gaza Strip.
This comes as Israel has stepped up its offensive on Gaza city, limiting the deliveries of food and basic supplies in the north of the Palestinian territory.
Food experts warned last month that the city was in famine and that half a million people across the strip were facing catastrophic levels of hunger.
The Global Sumud Flotilla is carrying food, water and medicine. Activists on board demanded safe passage to deliver the much-needed aid and the opening of a humanitarian sea corridor, according to a statement.
