Yemen's Houthis release crew of seized cargo ship Galaxy Leader

Yemen's Houthi rebels have released the crew of the cargo ship "Galaxy Leader," which they seized in November 2023. At that time, the Houthis began launching attacks on Red Sea shipping, which they linked to the war in Gaza. The 25 crew members, who are from the Philippines, Mexico, Romania, Bulgaria, and Ukraine, had been detained since Houthi forces used a helicopter to board the Bahamas-flagged car carrier as it was traveling from Turkey to India.

The Houthi-run Al Masirah TV said the crew had been handed over to Oman "in support of the truce agreement reached in Gaza between Hamas and Israel," which took effect on Sunday. The release comes after months of mediation involving their respective countries and the UN's International Maritime Organization (IMO). IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez welcomed the news, calling it "a deeply relieving moment for all of us – not only for the crew and their families, but also for the wider maritime community."

Dominguez added, "Today’s breakthrough demonstrates the power of collective diplomacy and dialogue, recognising that innocent seafarers must never be collateral victims of wider geopolitical tensions." UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, said: "This is a step in the right direction, and I urge [the Houthis] to continue with these positive steps on all fronts, including ending all attacks at sea." Over the past 14 months, the Houthis have attacked dozens of merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with missiles, drones, and small boats. In addition to seizing the “Galaxy Leader,” they have also sunk two vessels and caused the deaths of four crew members.

The Houthis have stated they are acting in support of Palestinians in the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and have claimed – often falsely – that they are only targeting ships with links to Israel, the US, or the UK. The "Galaxy Leader" was being operated by the Japanese shipping company NYK when it was seized. The vessel is owned by Galaxy Maritime Ltd, registered in the Isle of Man. Galaxy Maritime Ltd, in turn, is owned by Ray Car Carriers, which, according to the Isle of Man government’s company registry, is co-owned by Israeli businessman Abraham Ungar.

The Houthis have not been deterred by the deployment of Western warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to protect merchant shipping, or by US and UK airstrikes against territory they control in northwest Yemen. Israel has also carried out airstrikes against the Houthis since July in retaliation for what the Israeli military said were 400 missiles and drones fired from Yemen at the country, most of which were shot down. On Sunday, the Houthis said they would limit attacks on shipping in line with the truce in Gaza. According to the Financial Times, an email sent to ship owners, insurers and other institutions said they were lifting sanctions on vessels, except for those registered in Israel or fully owned by Israeli individuals and entities.

The email also added that sanctions on fully Israeli-owned ships would cease "after all stages of the truce agreement are fully implemented." Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, in a speech the following day, warned that the group’s actions were contingent on Israel’s commitment to the Gaza ceasefire. “We are ready to take action immediately, as long as the Israeli enemy returns to escalation, genocidal crimes, and the siege of the Gaza Strip,” he said. The Houthi attacks have led many shipping companies to avoid routes through the Suez Canal, which shortens journeys between Asia and Europe. It is estimated that about 12% of global trade used the route before the attacks.

Instead, shipping companies have been using the longer and more expensive route around the southern tip of Africa. Last year, Vincent Clerc, the boss of Danish shipping giant Maersk, told the BBC: “Our ships are being shot at. When that happens, the lives of our colleagues are at risk, and we simply cannot justify sailing through these dangerous areas.” The World Shipping Council, a trade body representing most of the world’s largest shipping companies, welcomed the release of the “Galaxy Leader” crew, calling it “a huge relief.”

Its chief executive, Joe Kramek, said: “The detention of innocent seafarers is completely unacceptable and unlawful. The situation in the Red Sea highlights the critical importance of safe and open maritime routes to protect seafarers and keep global trade flowing.” He added that despite the recent encouraging developments, many challenges remain before operations return to normal.