The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have freed the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a ship they hijacked in November 2023. The Houthis targeted the vessel, claiming it was linked to Israel. This ship was taken to the coast of Yemen after it was hijacked, and the Houthis then turned it into a kind of tourist attraction to showcase their war against Israel and the West.
According to Lloyd’s List, the ship was “owned by UK-registered company Ray Car Carriers, which is in turn partly owned by two Israeli nationals, which was enough to make it a target.” The hull of the car carrier was worth $40 million, the report said.
“The presumption is that the ship had war risk cover in place and will now be declared a constructive total loss on the grounds of deprivation of use for 12 months.” Meanwhile, the crew was not heard from after they had been kidnapped by the Houthis.
According to the reports, the crew consisted of “17 Filipinos, three Ukrainians, two Bulgarians, two Mexicans and a Romanian.”
A year into their ordeal, the website SAFETY4SEA noted that the crew was still being held in Yemen. “Guy Platten, secretary-general of the International Chamber of Shipping, speaking in Hong Kong, has stated that it seems incredible that a year has passed, and the crew of the Galaxy Leader were still being held hostage.
Innocent seafarers and families who have had their lives irrevocably changed by geopolitical forces wholly out of their control,” the website noted.
Now, with a ceasefire in Gaza, the Houthis have stopped their attacks on Israel. The group appears to indicate it may still target ships it thinks are linked to Israel. However, the Houthis now have found a window of opportunity to free the crew. The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV announced that the crew had been able to leave for Oman, and this was “in support of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.”
The BBC reported that “the release comes after months of diplomacy involving their countries, as well as the UN’s International Maritime Organization.”
Iran acknowledges the move
Iran’s IRNA state media also noted that the crew was released. “A Yemeni official told Al-Masirah TV on Wednesday that the release followed directives from Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, leader of Yemen’s Ansarullah movement, and with mediation from Oman.
The official added that the move was part of Yemen’s efforts to support the Gaza ceasefire and was executed in collaboration with the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas,” IRNA noted.
The freedom for the crew is good news. They should never have been held for a year. They had no part in the conflict, and the illegal hijacking of the ship and kidnapping of the crew illustrates the criminal and terrorist methods of the Houthis. The US re-designated the group as a terrorist organization on January 22.