A small French pleasure craft with eight protesters on board left Greek waters overnight and set off for Gaza in an attempt to break an Israeli naval blockade, organisers said Tuesday.
The "Dignite al Karama" is so far the only boat in a planned flotilla organised by pro-Palestinian activists to set sail from Greece, after the authorities there blocked other vessels from taking part in the protest.
The 19-metre (63-foot) motor cruiser is carrying, among others, the former French far-left presidential candidate Olivier Besancenot, Green Party Euro-MP Nicole Kiil-Nielsen and trade unionist Annick Coupe.
They expect to be off Gaza within an day or two, the group told AFP.
But the latest tweet from the floatard camp seems to indicate otherwise:
I am getting reports that the French boat in #freedomflotilla2 that left from corseca and has been in intl waters is turning back(UPDATE: Confirmed.)
Another tweet indicates that the "Stefano Chiarini" boat, which is registered in Togo, is being de-registered by that country - causing much consternation among the anti-Israel flotidiots:
Togo threatening to deregister our boat (Togo flagged) due to pressure from Israel. #flotilla2
Our vessel the Stefano Chiarini is registered in Lome togo. Togo now wants to de-register our ship. #freedomflotilla2
Oh Togo! Now you're controlled by Israel too?! You've lost your mind, Togo... Please God, they're lost..
It's like watching a slow-motion train wreck, without the fear of any injuries outside the very sensitive feelings of the hypocritical anti-Israel flotilosers.
UPDATE: New tweets say that Togo did not de-register the boat.