One Year Since The Hijacking Of Galaxy Leader & Still No Justice For Crew Held Hostage

The crew of the hijacked vessel Galaxy Leader will complete a year in captivity at the hands of Houthi forces on November 19, 2024.

The 25-member crew of the vessel coming from different parts of the world- Bulgaria, Ukraine, Philippines, Mexico and Romania were captured after the armed Houthi militants boarded the Bahamas-flagged car carrier on November 19, 2023,

The ship was hijacked in the Red Sea, and the crew was taken hostage while the vessel was diverted to the port of Hodeidah in Yemen.

On the one-year anniversary of the hijacking, the Catholic Maritime Charity Stella Maris will organize a special Mass and prayer vigil on November 19.

The gathering is a call to stand in support of the Galaxy Leader’s crew and their families. The service will be an opportunity for the maritime community to pray for the crew’s release.

The Galaxy Leader was hijacked when the Houthis claimed that the vessel’s commercial operator, UK-based Ray Car Carriers, had Israeli-linked ownership interests.

Video Credits: Evening Standard/YouTube

The ship is being used as a tourist attraction in Hodeidah, with people gathering, clicking photos, and making reels on the vessel.

The crew has remained confined to the vessel for the past year with barely any communication with their family members and no access to proper medical care.

According to reports from the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, the health of the crew members has worsened, with many showing symptoms of malaria, a potentially deadly disease.

The situation has caused global outrage.

Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), expressed concern over the extended captivity, saying that it seems impossible to believe that a year has passed and the crew of the hijacked vessel is still being held hostage. Innocent seafarers and families who have had their lives irrevocably changed by geopolitical forces wholly out of their control.

Since the hijacking, the Houthis have increased their attacks on ships, using drones and missiles. Over 100 ships have been targeted, with two sunk and four killed.

On November 17, 2024, a missile attack on a vessel off Mocha was reported as a near-miss. The vessel and its crew were reported safe.

ICS has continued to demand the immediate release of the Galaxy Leader crew, citing human rights violations.

Platten added that they are concerned about the seafarers and all those affected and continue to call for humanity to win with their immediate release.

The hijacking of the vessels shows the continued risks faced by seafarers in conflict zones.

Reference: cbcew, Maritime Monster

Source: Maritime Shipping News