The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement regarding the operation to transport members of the Global Sumud Flotilla.
As he notes, this morning 176 citizens of EU member states. and third countries that participated in the Global Sumud Flotilla disembarked at a port in the Prefecture of Lasithi in Crete. Of these, 31 were transferred for first aid to G.N. Sitia Health Center and the rest at Heraklion airport, from where their gradual departure from Greece began under the responsibility of the relevant foreign consular authorities.
The operation was coordinated by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in cooperation with the Coast Guard – Hellenic Coast Guard, the Greek Maritime Administration and the Region of Crete. “At the same time, there was constant communication with foreign diplomatic missions in Greece and the competent European Authorities, while the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs spoke with his counterparts, who thanked Greece for taking this initiative”, it is noted among others.
“Under extremely adverse conditions, the Greek State responsibly undertook the humanitarian task of welcoming the participants in the Global Sumud Flotilla, with the sole concern of their safety and protection,” the announcement concludes.
What the flotilla team had reported
Global Sumud members complained that Israeli naval forces intercepted and disabled several of its vessels in international watersleaving hundreds of civilians stranded at sea as a storm approached.
“After destroying the engines and navigation systems, the military forces withdrew, deliberately leaving hundreds of civilians stranded on stationary, damaged vessels, directly in the path of an approaching major storm,” the statement said.
“Communications with multiple vessels have been disrupted, disrupting their ability to coordinate or issue a distress signal,” the flotilla statement added.
