Houthis Release All 25 Crew Of Hijacked Cargo Ship After 14 Months

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have freed the 25-member crew of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader after holding them captive for over 14 months.

The crew were released on January 23, 2025, and was reportedly mediated by Oman and coordinated with Hamas.

The Galaxy Leader, a Bahamas-flagged car carrier, was seized by armed Houthi rebels in November 2023 while it was sailing from Turkey to India.

The crew comprised of Bulgarians, Filipinos, Mexicans, Romanians, and Ukrainians. Houthi-run Al Masirah TV stated the release was part of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, which began on Sunday.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez expressed relief, calling the release a diplomatic success.

“Innocent seafarers must not become collateral victims in geopolitical tensions,” he said.

Video Credits: The London Standard/YouTube

Since its seizure, the Galaxy Leader has been held in the Yemeni port of Al-Hudaydah. The ship’s ownership is linked to Galaxy Maritime Ltd., registered in the Isle of Man, and co-owned by Israeli businessman Abraham Ungar.

Over the past year, the group has attacked dozens of ships, sunk two vessels, and killed four seafarers. These attacks disrupted shipping routes and forced vessels to take longer journeys around Africa.

The Houthis recently announced they would halt their attacks on maritime traffic after the ceasefire but warned they would resume if provoked by the U.S., the UK, or Israel.

United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg welcomed the release and urged the Houthis to end the maritime attacks entirely.

Meanwhile, shipping companies and international maritime organizations are urging for stronger measures against these actions to ensure the safety of global trade routes.

References: BBC, CNN