Houthis May Soon Release 25 Member Crew Of Galaxy Leader Held Hostage For 429 Days

The 25-member crew of the Galaxy Leader car carrier may soon be released after spending over 14 months in captivity under Yemen’s Houthi forces.

A senior Houthi official told Japan’s All-Nippon News Network (ANN) that the ship’s crew would be released in “the coming days” through negotiations facilitated by Palestinian mediators.

The Galaxy Leader, a Bahamas-flagged car carrier owned by Ray Car Carriers and operated by Japan’s NYK Line, was seized on November 19, 2023.

Armed Houthis boarded the vessel via a helicopter, capturing the 25 crew members, including 17 Filipinos, three Ukrainians, two Mexicans, two Bulgarians, and one Romanian.

Attempts for the release of the crew over the past 14 months have been unsuccessful until now.

Since then, over 300 attacks on merchant vessels have been recorded, with the Houthis claiming these actions were in retaliation for the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli officials denied any link between the Galaxy Leader and Israel, clarifying that it is British-owned and operated by a Japanese company.

The continued attacks forced global shipping to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope, which has significantly increased transit times and costs. According to The Economist, the rerouting costs the global economy $175 billion annually.

Video Credits: The London Standard/YouTube

The disruption caused a major decline in Suez Canal traffic.

Containership transits dropped by 90%, LNG carriers by 80%, LPG carriers by 67%, product tankers by 59%, dry bulk carriers by 52%, and crude tankers by 48%, according to Jefferies Investment Bank.

The reopening of Red Sea shipping routes could restore 6-8% of container capacity due to shorter transit times, S&P Global reported.

However, shipping companies like Mediterranean Shipping Co. and Maersk remain cautious to reroute their vessels around Africa for safety.

During their 429-day captivity, the Galaxy Leader crew faced many challenges. Some members were hospitalised with malaria, and the crew was repeatedly moved between the ship and land.

The ship’s owners described the situation as a “horror story”, urging the immediate release of the seafarers.

“They were never involved, nor were their countries, yet for more than a year, they have had their freedom curtailed. Time to move on,” the owners stated, expressing hope for the crew’s return.

The Houthis announced on Sunday that attacks on international merchant ships in the Red Sea would cease as long as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is maintained.

However, they warned that Israeli-owned or Israeli-flagged vessels would still be targeted. They also threatened to resume attacks if there were any aggression against Yemen by the U.S., U.K., or Israel.

Reference: Splash247, BairdMaritime

Source: Maritime Shipping News