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After 14 months and three days in captivity, the crew of the Galaxy Leader car carrier has been released.
The vessel’s crew, made up of 25 nationals from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico and Romania, was captured on November 19, 2023, when armed Houthis stormed the ship via helicopter.
This started the Red Sea shipping crisis during which the Hamas-supporting Houthis attacked more than 100 vessels.
Secretary general of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Arsenio Dominguez welcomed the release of the vessels’ crew, facilitated by discussions between the Hamas movement in Gaza and efforts from negotiators in Oman.
“This is a moment of profound relief for all of us – not only for the crew and their families but also for the wider maritime community. I am grateful for all the Member States, regional entities and international partners whose steadfast support and strategic engagement were pivotal in securing the crew’s freedom and ensuring their wellbeing,” Dominguez said.
He added that innocent seafarers must not become collateral victims in wider geopolitical tensions and that this event marks the return to operations in the Red Sea as the maritime industry has been accustomed to.
“IMO will continue to rigorously uphold its commitment to the safety of seafarers worldwide, who continue to face risks in their essential work,” the IMO secretary general added.
The release of the Galaxy Leader crew comes days after the first phase of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect. The Houthis claimed that the release was in support of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza and that they were committed to supporting the truce.
The Houthis stated that so long as the ceasefire remains in place, international merchant ships may transit the Red Sea. However, Israeli-owned and Israeli-flagged tonnage will remain targets.
Also, if the British and American military forces continue their attacks on Yemen, ships from those countries could be targeted too.
The post Houthis release Galaxy Leader crew after 430 days in captivity appeared first on Energy News Beat.
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