Huthi Rebels Release Crew of Galaxy Leader After Over a Year of Detention

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In a gesture tied to recent developments in Gaza, Yemen's Huthi rebels released the 25-member crew of the merchant ship Galaxy Leader on Wednesday. The crew had been detained for more than a year, and the rebels cited the ongoing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as a key factor in their decision.

 

The Galaxy Leader's ordeal began in November 2023 when the Iran-backed Huthis, in a campaign declared in support of Palestinians, launched a series of attacks targeting shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. On November 19, helicopter-borne Huthi fighters seized the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier, detaining its international crew. The crew's release, announced by the Huthi-controlled Saba news agency, was framed as part of their support for the ceasefire in Gaza, which began the preceding Sunday. 

 

Oman played a critical role in facilitating the release. According to Saba, the Gulf sultanate provided essential assistance in the process. The crew, including a Bulgarian captain and second-in-command, 17 Filipinos, and sailors from Ukraine, Romania, and Mexico, were flown from Sanaa to Muscat aboard an Omani air force plane. At a press conference on the tarmac, the crew stood alongside a Hamas official, who praised the "coordination" between Hamas and the Huthis that secured their release. The rebel-affiliated Al-Masirah TV channel aired the event. Bulgaria’s foreign ministry later confirmed that Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov had dispatched a government plane to bring the two Bulgarian citizens home.

 

United Nations special envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, welcomed the release, calling it “heartwarming news that puts an end to the arbitrary detention and separation that they and their families endured for more than a year.” Grundberg also called on the Huthis to cease all maritime attacks. Arsenio Dominguez, head of the International Maritime Organization, hailed the development as "a moment of profound relief for all of us—not only for the crew and their families but also to the wider maritime community." He emphasized that the release underscored the importance of diplomacy and dialogue, adding that innocent seafarers should never become "collateral victims in wider geopolitical tensions."

 

The Galaxy Leader, a Bahamas-flagged vessel operated by a Japanese company, has British ownership and ties to Israeli businessman Abraham "Rami" Ungar. During its detention, the Huthis repurposed the ship as an attraction for Yemeni tourists, flying Yemeni and Palestinian flags from its mast in Hodeida, a rebel-held province.

 

As part of Iran's "axis of resistance," the Huthis have remained active in regional conflicts. Since the onset of the Gaza war, they have launched missiles and drones targeting Israel. On Tuesday, the Huthis declared they would limit attacks to vessels linked to Israel during the ceasefire.

 

For the families of the Galaxy Leader crew and the international maritime community, this resolution brings much-needed relief after a prolonged and tense period. The release also underscores the potential for diplomatic engagement in easing humanitarian crises, even amid complex geopolitical struggles.

 

 

Based on a report by AFP 2025-01-24