Israeli forces on Monday intercepted a humanitarian aid vessel bound for Gaza that included Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg among its passengers, according to the ship’s organisers.

The Freedom Flotilla Coalition announced via Telegram that contact had been lost with the vessel Madleen, stating, “Connection has been lost on the ‘Madleen’. Israeli army have boarded the vessel," AFP reported.

Mahmud Abu-Odeh, a Germany-based press officer with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, told AFP that “the activists seemed to be arrested."

Israel had previously vowed to prevent the vessel from reaching Gaza. As the boat approached what authorities called a “restricted area", the Israeli Navy instructed it to change course. About an hour later, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the vessel was being towed to Israeli shores.

“The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries," the ministry wrote on social media.

In a follow-up post, the ministry added, “The tiny amount of aid that was on the yacht and not consumed by the ‘celebrities’ will be transferred to Gaza through real humanitarian channels."

Source: News18