Yemen's Houthi rebels release crew of hijacked cargo ship, including Ukrainians
Photo: Yemeni Houthis release the crew of a ship seized in 2023 (wikipedia.org)
Yemen's Houthi rebels have released the crew of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader, which was seized under the flag of the Bahamas off the coast of Yemen's Red Sea in 2023. Among the crew members are Ukrainian citizens, Associated Press reports.
According to reports, the crew was handed over to Oman as part of efforts to support the ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
According to AP, a total of 25 people were freed, including citizens of the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Mexico.
Ukraine has not officially commented on the release of its citizens from Yemeni captivity.
Hijacking of the Galaxy Leader
In November 2023, Yemeni Houthis seized the cargo vessel Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea, which carried an international civilian crew. The ship was sailing under the flag of the Bahamas.
25 crew members from Ukraine, Bulgaria, the Philippines, and Mexico were onboard.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, four Ukrainian sailors were among those held captive by the Houthis. Ukraine had been actively working to secure their release.
