The 12 Malaysian volunteers who were on board the aid ship attacked by Israel while sailing to Gaza are safe and currently travelling by road to Amman.

They are accompanied by Malaysian ambassador to Jordan, Abdul Malek Abdul Aziz, and other embassy officials.

azlan The Malaysians had crossed the border into Jordan earlier.

"All of them are safe and in good spirits," the envoy told Bernama when contacted from Dubai.

He said the volunteers had only the clothes on their backs and some of them did not even have their passports with them.

The 12 Malaysians were among those seized by Israeli forces who stormed the Mavi Marmara ship that was part of the Gaza aid flotilla on Monday.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman is due to arrive in Amman later today.

Harrowing experience

Abdul Malek said the Malaysian Foreign Ministry and the embassy would make all necessary arrangements to facilitate the volunteers' return to Malaysia.

NONE One of them, Noor Azman Muhamad Samsuddin, told Bernama over the phone that the pre-dawn storming of the ship by Israeli commandos had been a harrowing experience.

He said most of the people on board the vessel laden with humanitarian aid for the people of Gaza, who have been under an Israeli blockade for the past three years, had not expected the level of force shown by the Israelis during the deadly incident.

Reports said that at least 10 people were killed during the raid, sparking condemnation from countries around the world, including Malaysia.

According to Noor Azman, two volunteers from Indonesia were also injured during the Israeli attack.

- Bernama

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