Crete - Saba:
The March to Gaza group in Greece has announced that the Freedom Flotilla ship, carrying humanitarian aid intended for Gaza, rescued a number of migrants from the sea near the island of Crete on Friday.
The ship, the Madeleine, was forced to change course after reporting receiving a distress signal from a boat at sea.
The ship carried a crew of 12 peaceful activists and was heading to Gaza "with the aim of breaking the Israeli blockade on Palestine," according to the March to Gaza group.
According to the group, upon arriving at the scene, the Freedom Flotilla found the boat sinking with approximately 30-35 people on board.
March to Gaza said the Madeleine approached a ship that initially identified itself as Egyptian, but "the activists on board the Madeleine quickly realized... that the ship actually belonged to the Libyan Coast Guard."
It added that some refugees jumped into the sea to avoid being returned to Libya, and the Madeleine rescued four Sudanese who had jumped into the water and brought them aboard.
Hours after distress calls were made, a Frontex boat arrived and took over the rescued individuals. Frontex is the European Union's border and coast guard agency.
The Madeleine set sail from Sicily on Sunday, carrying international activists, including a Swedish woman. Greta Thunberg.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, launched in 2010, is a nonviolent international solidarity movement with Palestinians, active in collecting humanitarian aid and politically protesting the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which deprives the population of food, water, and medicine.
The United Nations warned on May 30 that more than two million people in Gaza are at risk of famine.
The Madeleine, a small sailing vessel, is reportedly carrying juice, milk, rice, canned goods, and protein bars.
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