After more than a year, the Houthis have released the crew of the hijacked car carrier “Galaxy Leader”.
The Yemeni rebel group has released the 25-member crew of the car carrier “Galaxy Leader” after holding them hostage for 14 months, it said in a statement.
The car carrier (built in 2002, 4,500 CEU), owned by Ray Car Carriers, was the target of one of the first attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea in November 2023. Around 100 further attacks followed, in which two ships were sunk and four sailors were killed. Since then, shipping has been forced to steer clear of the danger zones and take the long detour around the Cape of Good Hope. The costs are in the billions, and freight rates have also risen.
Following the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, talks have resumed under Turkish mediation, according to reports. As a result, the 24 seamen, who come from Bulgaria, the Philippines, Ukraine, Mexico and Romania, have been released. They are to be taken to Oman.
The Houthis had already announced at the weekend that they would no longer attack international shipping in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, with the exception of ships flying the Israeli flag or in Israeli possession.
The “Galaxy Leader” is partly owned by an Israeli
“I am grateful to all Member States, regional bodies and international partners whose unwavering support and strategic engagement have been instrumental in securing the freedom of the crew and ensuring their well-being,” commented IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez on the news. It is a moment of “profound relief” for the crew, their families and the entire maritime world.
The car carrier (4,500 CEU), sailing under the flag of the Bahamas for the shipping company NYK Line, was attacked on 19 November 2023 in the Red Sea near the Yemeni port city of Hodeida. The “Galaxy Leader” is partly owned by Israeli entrepreneur Abraham Ungar. The freighter was hijacked from a helicopter.
