The Yemeni Houthis released the crew of the merchant ship Galaxy Leader, which was seized in the Red Sea in November 2023. Among the released crew members were sailors from five countries, including Ukraine. This was reported on Wednesday, January 22, by the Associated Press (AP) agency, UNN reports.
Details
According to the AR, the release of 25 sailors was mediated by Oman.
Oman did not immediately recognize the release, although a Royal Omani Air Force plane flew to Yemen on Wednesday and took off again about an hour after the Houthis' announcement. The Houthis also said that Hamas had separately requested the release of the ship's 25-person crew, including sailors from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and Mexico
The Houthis said in a statement that the move was part of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.
Hans Grundberg, the UN Special Envoy for Yemen, called the crew's release "heartwarming news that will end the detention and separation they and their families have endured for more than a year.
This is a step in the right direction, and I urge that these positive steps continue on all fronts, including ending the naval attacks
The Houthi rebels had earlier said they had seized the Galaxy Leader because of its links to Israel. As noted, the Bahamas-flagged vessel is allegedly linked to Israeli billionaire Avraham "Rami" Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel.
A representative of the Galaxy Leader owners did not comment on Wednesday
According to AR, on Monday, January 20, the Houthis made it clear that they would now limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to ships linked to Israel after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, but warned that larger-scale attacks could resume if necessary.
However, this is unlikely to be enough to encourage global companies to return to the route, which is crucial for the supply of goods and energy between Asia and Europe. Their attacks have halved traffic through the region, which has seriously reduced the revenues of Egypt, which operates the Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.
Ukraine has not yet officially commented on the release of its citizens from Yemeni captivity.
Recall
According to the UN, the Yemeni Houthis have increased their numbers to 350,000 fighters and are receiving support from Iran. The group has carried out more than 130 attacks on ships in the Red Sea since November 2023.