The Istanbul chief prosecutor’s office has announced that it has opened an investigation after Israeli forces arrested Turkish citizens on board a Gaza-bound flotilla carrying activists and humanitarian aid, AFP reports.

The probe concerns “24 Turkish citizens arrested following the attack carried out by elements of the Israeli navy in international waters against the Global Sumud flotilla”, a statement said, according to Turkish media.

It cited the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and said it would look into “crimes of deprivation of liberty, hijacking or detention of means of transport, aggravated looting, material damage, and torture”.

Turkish media said 30 Turkish citizens in all were detained and taken by Israeli forces for deportation to Europe.