Shrapnel from missiles is believed to have fallen on the deck of a German-owned cruise ship departing port in Israel. The AIDAdiva was preparing to depart the port of Ashdod on Monday evening when several explosions occurred, the ship’s German owner said in a statement.
Ashdod is not far from the Gaza Strip, where Israel's military is launching an offensive in response to repeated rocket launches from the territory into Israel. AIDA Cruises, which is part of Carnival-owned Costa Cruises, said that none of the 2,700 guests and crew were injured and the ship suffered no damage, but “small particles that may come from defense missiles…were found on the open deck.” The company said that the cruise got underway as planned once the particles were secured. “The current security situation in Israel was and will be continuously observed and evaluated,” it added.
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