Captain ‘feared for life’ when Israelis boarded

THE captain of the Irish ship involved in the attempt to sail an international aid flotilla to Gaza has spoken of how he feared for his life when heavily armed Israeli soldiers took over the vessel.

Derek Graham was ordered to remain alone in the wheelhouse of the Rachel Corrie after he informed the army by radio that his fellow activists were assembling on deck and would offer no resistance.

He said as he obeyed orders and waited for the soldiers to board, he thought of the captain of the Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, who died along with eight other activists when the army stormed their vessel four days earlier.