Urgent Legal Report Submitted to FRONTEX on Behalf of the Crew of the Humanitarian Vessel Madleen – Imminent Risk to Freedom Flotilla Mission to Gaza

The legal representatives of the passengers aboard the vessel Madleen, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC)humanitarian mission to Gaza, submitted an urgent report on 4 June 2025 to FRONTEX and its Fundamental Rights Office, calling for immediate action to ensure the safety of the vessel and those on board.

The Madleen departed from Catania, Italy, on 1 June 2025, carrying vital humanitarian aid and international human rights defenders, including Greta Thunberg, Rima Hassan, and Liam Cunningham. On 3 and 4 June, unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) were observed flying over the vessel in international waters, raising fears of a possible armed attack. These concerns are exacerbated by the May 2 drone attack on the Conscience, another vessel in the same flotilla, near Malta.

The report urges FRONTEX to fulfill its obligations under EU law and international humanitarian law to ensure the safety and legal protection of European citizens and peaceful humanitarian missions. It cites:

• Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU)

• Regulation (EU) 2019/1896 on the European Border and Coast Guard

• The Geneva Conventions, the Rome Statute, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea

  
  

The lawyers stress that any interference, attack, or seizure of the Madleen would constitute a grave breach of international law and could amount to complicity in crimes against humanity. They call on FRONTEX and EU institutions to:

• Publicly affirm the flotilla’s lawful status as a humanitarian mission

• Provide diplomatic and physical protection to those on board

• Activate emergency legal and consular measures in case of unlawful interception

  
  

The vessel’s position can be tracked in real time at:🔗 https://freedomflotilla.org/ffc-tracker/

Co-signing attorneys:

• Thanasis I. Kampagiannis, Attorney-at-Law (Athens)

• Evgenia Kouniaki, Attorney-at-Law (Athens)

• Dimitrios Sarafianos, Attorney-at-Law (Athens)

• Legal Team at Efstathios C. Efstathiou LLC (Nicosia)