The Turkish passenger ship Cruse Liner MV Mavi Marmara was trying to take Turkish and Cypriot aid to the Gaza Strip on May the 31st, when the Israeli Navy found it. The 3 year old blockade was upheld by Flotilla 13. The Mavi Marmara was 40 miles from the Gaza Strip when it was raided. 27 British activists, 9 Palestinian, 8 Turks, 2 Irish, 1 Swedish, 1 South African, 1 American and 1 Albanian were on the Mavi Marmara, along with a few others. The Mavi Marmara was followed by the Irish passenger ship MV Rachel Corrie and 4 other minor vessels. The ships carried a total of 663-682 activists and aid workers, including several Turks, several Malaysians another American, an Australian, and a Belgian.