An unidentified aircraft has been spotted flying above the Global Sumud Flotilla as the fleet navigates through the Mediterranean Sea on its mission to Gaza. The plane passed over the boats about three times when the fleet sailed east of Sicily.
Global Sumud Flotilla notices airplane carrying out surveillance on fleet
The Global Sumud Flotilla, in a post on X, brought the plane to the public’s attention as it seemed to monitor the fleet making its way across the Mediterranean Sea. Though the flotilla’s participants could not identify the plane in real-time, the plane is most likely a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules.
The C-130 Hercules should monitor the war shipments rather than the flotilla. The real concern should be on stopping the flow of weapons and military equipment to the occupier, not on peaceful solidarity missions. Maritime spaces have been militarized and controlled to maintain… pic.twitter.com/en99wWnr9e
— Global Sumud Flotilla (@gbsumudflotilla) April 28, 2026
The flotilla’s participants saw the plane fly overhead three times and suspected that the plane was on a surveillance mission. The participants’ initial attempts to identify the plane and its objective were not successful.
However, after later satellite checks and some estimations, the flotilla participants identified the plane as a U.S. Navy KC-130T Hercules. They came to this conclusion by comparing the plane’s low altitude, flight path, and time stamp through satellite imagery.
The Global Sumud Flotilla has criticised the plane’s surveillance efforts in the post on X. It has said that the plane should be monitoring war shipments rather than the flotilla. It called for the weapons, not the aid, to be stopped.
“The real concern should be on stopping the flow of weapons and military equipment to the occupier, not on peaceful solidarity missions. Maritime spaces have been militarised and controlled to maintain occupation and oppression. The flotilla continues to challenge that control through peaceful resistance,” the post read.
This is the flotilla’s second attempt at getting aid to Gaza. During the first attempt in 2025, participants also noticed unidentified aircraft flying overhead before Israeli forces intercepted the flotilla.
Flotilla continues “spring mission” towards Gaza
The fleet is still on the waters continuing its mission of shipping humanitarian aid to citizens in Gaza. The flotilla also aims to challenge the Israeli blockade of aid to the region through its efforts.
According to the real-time flotilla tracker, as of April 29 (13:13 UTC), 58 boats are sailing. The boats are now in the Central Mediterranean Sea. The fleet is just south of Greece and east of Malta.
However, rumours have started spreading that the Israeli forces are preparing to stop the flotilla before it reaches the shores of Gaza. Israeli officials allege the Global Sumud Flotilla has links to Hamas.
The flotilla organisers still expect more boats and participants to join them on their mission to Gaza. The organisers expect the fleet to reach about 100 boats and over 1000 participants.