The Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian mission carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, was forced to halt temporarily on Monday after one of its vessels suffered a technical breakdown at sea, organizers confirmed.

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The Johnn M developed a leak in its engine room that “could not be resolved at sea,” leading to its withdrawal from the convoy. All participants were transferred safely to another vessel. Some will be reassigned to other ships, while others are expected to be brought ashore.

“We thank the Red Crescent, in coordination with the Turkish government, for facilitating the safe return of participants and for delivering additional humanitarian aid to the flotilla,” the mission said.

The flotilla initially launched with more than 50 boats departing from Spain, Tunisia, Italy, and Greece. Due to technical problems, the number has dropped to about 40. Tracking data on Monday showed 47 vessels in total, 42 of them navigating international waters off the coast of Alexandria, Egypt.

Since its departure from Spain in early September, the initiative — involving 500 volunteers from 48 countries, including 50 Spanish citizens — has faced repeated logistical challenges and reported multiple drone attacks. Organizers insisted the latest incident “will not cause significant delays,” projecting arrival at Gaza’s coast in “just four days.” By Tuesday night, the flotilla reported it was 366 miles (589 km) from Palestinian waters.

With the convoy approaching what it described as a “high-risk zone,” the mission appealed for “preventive protection” from states, underlining that it is a “non-violent action driven by civil society.”

In response to repeated alerts, Spain dispatched the naval action vessel Furor from Cartagena on Friday to support the flotilla. Italy also authorized two military ships to provide assistance, after previously proposing that the aid be offloaded in Cyprus for onward delivery to Gaza — an option the organizers rejected.

Meanwhile, a separate convoy of about ten boats left Italy on Saturday to join the broader Freedom Flotilla, which has organized similar missions since 2008. Among them was the 2010 voyage of the Mavi Marmara, when Israeli forces killed ten activists during a raid. On Sunday, the Freedom Flotilla announced another mission, scheduled to depart on October 1 from an undisclosed Mediterranean country for security reasons.

Despite mounting technical difficulties and escalating risks, the Global Sumud Flotilla says it remains committed to reaching Gaza, calling on states to safeguard what it describes as a peaceful, civilian-led humanitarian effort.

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