Kevin Neish, seen in this undated photo, was on one of the six ships that were part of a convoy attacked by Israeli defence forces. Kevin Neish, seen in this undated photo, was on one of the six ships that were part of a convoy attacked by Israeli defence forces. (CBC)

Friends of a B.C. man say he was aboard one of the six vessels that were part of a convoy attacked by Israeli commandos off the coast of Gaza.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens more were wounded Monday after Israeli defence forces raided the main ship in the flotilla, which was trying to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian territory has been under a blockade for three years, imposed by Israel and Egypt after the militant group Hamas assumed control of Gaza in 2007.

Victoria environmentalist Zoe Blunt says her friend, Kevin Neish, was on one of the vessels.

Blunt said she has been keeping in touch with Neish, 53, a Victoria resident, and last heard from him on Thursday.

"These were all peace activists. I don't believe that they were armed," she said.

"I certainly don't believe that they would be provoking commandos with automatic weapons. What they were doing was, they were trained in non-violence. Kevin's job specifically was to defend the journalists on the ship."

Believed to be alive

Blunt said organizers believe Neish's boat is safe.

"I've just spoken to the organizer for Free Gaza in Washington, D.C.," she told CBC News on Monday morning.

"He's telling me that the Challenger 2 has been brought in to port in ... Israel and we don't have any access to the people on the ship but he believes there were no casualties on board the ship Kevin is on."

Blunt said organizers say no one will be able to talk with Neish until at least Tuesday.

She believes Neish was the only Canadian among the 600 people aboard the flotilla.