Reporter Ruwani Perera was onboard the Marianne of Gothenburg, boarded by Israeli Forces after attempting to breach the blockade on Gaza.

Maori Television reporter Ruwani Perera has been deported from Israel after she and cameraman Jacob Bryant were filming a story onboard a flotilla of ships detained by the Israeli military.

Perera contacted relatives on Tuesday morning via satellite phone to say she was being deported, her partner Tim Werry said.

Werry said she was safe and that she would be flying back into Auckland on July 1.

Maori Television head of news and current affairs Maramena Roderick said Perera and Bryant were both due back on the same flight.

Roderick said Maori Television staff are working with authorities at the New Zealand embassy in Ankara, Turkey to support the crew.

"We appreciate the assistance of embassy officials to bring our crew home."

Werry said he only had a brief message from his partner and had not heard whether Bryant had also been deported.

He said he was initially relieved to hear the news that she had been released by the Israeli military.

"It's all happening so quickly," he said.

He didn't have an update on what was happening to Bryant, though he understood he was intending to travel to France to film another story next week.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Mfat) would not comment on the reported deportations.

A spokeswoman said the New Zealand Embassy in Ankara had been in direct contact with the Maori Television crew that were on-board the Marianne.

"They have confirmed their arrival in Tel Aviv.

"Arrangements are in hand for them to return to New Zealand within the next few days."

The two Native Affairs journalists were aboard one of the ships in the Freedom Flotilla III when it was boarded by Israeli forces.

Maori Television said Perera and Bryant were the only New Zealand media invited by KiaoraGaza to observe and document the peace mission.

The flotilla was trying to breach Israel's exclusion zone on Gaza and take supplies to residents on the Gaza Strip. The Israeli blockade has been in force since 2007.

Werry described Perera as "a tough cookie".

"She'll have quite a story to tell when she gets back."

He had been told by Maori Television on Monday night that the pair were unharmed.

"When they first rang I was pretty concerned."

Perera and Bryant were acting in a neutral capacity, Werry said.

"They've met some pretty amazing people, but they've always made it clear they were there to do a news story."

They had already been on the boat for 10 days, and conditions had been rough at times.

Mfat confirmed two New Zealand journalists were on the Marianne, and said the ministry was monitoring the situation.

"The ministry advised the reporters to heed the travel advisory and not attempt to break the blockade. They should obey all instructions and directions issued by the local authorities, including the Israeli Defence Force," a spokesperson said.

Perera and Bryant boarded the flotilla in Sicily 10 days ago, Maori TV said. They were later joined by international media from Al Jazeera, Israel and Russia.

In a statement to Al Jazeera, the Israeli army said it did not use force in redirecting the Marianne to the Israeli city of Ashdod.

The ship was carrying about 20 activists, including an Israeli Arab lawmaker and a former Tunisian president.

The latest update from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said: "We had our last contact with Ship to Gaza's trawler Marianne of Gothenburg. We were informed that the three military vessels who identified themselves as Israeli navy, has now moved even closer. The distance was estimated to 500 meters." [sic]

Perera and Bryant were understood to be "observers" on the boat.

Prime Minister John Key said on Monday he was aware there had been two New Zealanders detained, but had not received a briefing.

He said Mfat would likely provide more detail to him, once it knew more.

A 2010 raid against a Gaza-bound flotilla killed nine pro-Palestinian activists.

There had been no reports of casualties in the latest attempt.