Malta's government announced on Tuesday that it will carry out repairs on an aid ship in international waters after the vessel was reportedly attacked by two drones on Friday morning. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition is an international NGO that operates the "Conscience". It says the ship will be used to break the Gaza siege and deliver humanitarian assistance.

Freedom Flotilla reported on Friday that the drone attack occurred as the ship waited for an international group to board just outside Malta's water. This caused a loss in power and communication, they said.

Israel was blamed for the incident, claiming that it had blockedaded Gaza as part of its war against Palestinian Hamas militants. Israel has not responded to requests for comments.

Malta's government announced that a surveyor inspected the ship and determined it required minor repairs to be able to reach its next destination.

The ship's hull, engine room and bilge were in good to satisfactory condition. There was no water intrusion. The majority of important equipment such as the main engines, generators, bow thrust, and fire extinguishers, were in working order.

According to the government, only enough food and drinks were found for crew members to last about 30 days. The captain stated that only a small portion of the food and drinks were intended for humanitarian purposes.

A fuel storage of approximately 32 tonnes has also been found.

The government announced that it would be making repairs to the ship which are urgently needed so that she can sail onwards. (Reporting and editing by Leslie Adler; Christopher Scicluna)

(source: Reuters)