Satellite TV channel Astro Awani journalist Ashwad Ismail today shared his experience of being onboard the vessel Mavi Marmara , which was attacked by Israeli forces on Monday.

When interviewed from Malaysia by the station, he said, the vessel was besieged by Israeli forces, 68 nautical miles away from the waters of Israel.

NONE "We were surrounded by 14 boats, eight navy ships, 19 military boats and three helicopters.

"The people onboard consisted of NGO friends. We were attacked by the military constantly.

"Thank God, cameraman Samsul Kamal Abdul Latip and I managed to escape being hit by gunshots.

"We managed to escape and crawl to a safer place. It was a very frightening experience.

"I did not expect that the Israeli military would do such a thing to a vessel carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza," he said.

He added the Israeli forces used live bullets in the attack while the volunteers only used non-lethal weapons and water hose.

"We were attacked by the commandos who came onto the ship, Samsul Kamal and I were safe, but two other volunteers near us were hit on the hands and shoulders.

"We then ran to a safer place [...] we saw the volunteers bleeding [...] it was an experience which was an eye-opener to the world," he said.

Released at border

Asked about Samsul Kamal's condition, Ashwad, said they were separated after the Israelis detained and handcuffed them, but he met Samsul Kamal again after they were released at the Israel-Jordan border.

"He is in a good condition, however, we were separated after the attack. We were imprisoned in three different places before being released at the border of Israel and Jordan."

NONE When asked about claims made by the international media that sharp weapons were used against the Israeli military, he said the reports were not true.

Asked about his departure from Jordan, he said the Malaysian authorities would be informed soon.

Ashwad and Samsul Kamal were onboard the Mavi Marmara , the lead vessel of a pro-Palestine flotilla that was attacked by Israeli forces.

Ten other Malaysians were also confirmed to be on board in the lead vessel. They are safe and in Jordan, awaiting return to Malaysia.

According to Reuters , Israel had said it would deport 682 activists from more than 35 countries taken into custody after the maritime assault in which nine activists were killed on the Turkish vessel.

Widespread anger

About 200 activists have been transferred from a holding centre to Israel's airport near Tel Aviv, a Prisons Service spokesman said, and 123 activists already passed through a border crossing into neighbouring Jordan.

NONE The remaining activists would be released throughout the day, the spokesman said.

Amid widespread anger at the Israeli action, the UN Security Council called for an impartial investigation of the deaths.

The 700 activists detained when Israeli marines halted the six-ship convoy heading for the blockaded Palestinian enclave included Turks, Arabs, Americans, Asians and Europeans, among them two politicians and Swedish author Henning Mankell.