Turkish citizens and other activists of various nationalities, who were on board the Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla vessels seized by Israel in international waters, have arrived in Istanbul.
The group arrived in Istanbul late on Friday aboard a special flight.
The aircraft, operated by Turkish Airlines, carried 59 people, including 18 Turkish nationals, from the Greek island of Crete.
Flight TK6934 landed at Istanbul Airport at 2145 local time (1845 GMT).
The activists were welcomed by relatives and officials at the airport’s VIP terminal.
Following the reception, they are expected to undergo medical examinations at Istanbul’s Forensic Medicine Institute as part of an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The group had been part of the Global Sumud Flotilla, an international initiative aimed at breaking Israel’s blockade of Gaza and delivering essential humanitarian supplies.
The flotilla’s 2026 spring mission set sail from Barcelona on April 12 and later regrouped off Sicily before continuing its journey on April 26.
According to organisers, Israeli forces intercepted the vessels late on April 29 in international waters off the coast of Crete, around 600 nautical miles from Gaza and just beyond Greek territorial waters.
The activists were detained and the boats sustained damage during the operation.
Flotilla organisers say the mission involved 345 participants from 39 countries, including Turkish citizens.
