Abdel

The Abdel was a small boat used to transport survivors away from New Mombasa during the initial Covenant attack against the city on October 20, 2552. The Abdel was one of the last remaining boats to depart New Mombasa's waterfront, and carried important information regarding the Covenant's plans for Earth.

Battle of Earth
Benjamin Giraud, a war-time photographer and investigative journalist, used the Abdel as a means to get a translated Covenant recording out of the city to the UNSC High Command. At the time, Giraud worked in Old Mombasa helping ONI to create propaganda and manipulate the news into a more "digestible" format for the public. However, when the Covenant attacked, the train Giraud was on was hit by falling debris. After he woke up in the hospital, Giraud joined a small resistance force, and managed to translate a Sanghelili message saying "We need to clear this area before we can secure access to the Ark." He then attempted to escape with the information, but discovered upon his arrival at the waterfront that the whole city's population was trying to leave using "anything that floats." Unable to board one of the boats himself, Giraud gave his laptop that contained the recording to a child crying by the shore. Giraud watched the child leave aboard the Abdel, hoping that the information would reach the proper authorities.