Houthis free Galaxy Leader crew, including 17 Filipinos, held captive for over a year

Beirut: Yemen’s Al Houthi rebels said they have released the crew of a commercial vessel that they hijacked over a year ago, the latest step in the easing of risks to ships in the Red Sea region.

The Galaxy Leader was among the first vessels to be targeted by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea, a major trade passageway between Asia and Europe. The attacks have killed seafarers, sunk vessels and forced the bulk of traffic to diverge thousands of miles around Africa.

Rebel leader Abdulmalik Al Houthi ordered the release of the seafarers who were handed to Omani officials, according to the Houthi-operated Al Masirah TV.

The group said over the weekend that they would stop attacking ships with links to the US and UK after a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Shipping firms are still cautious about any quick return to that route.

The Galaxy Leader had a 25-member crew — comprising 17 Filipinos, three Ukrainians, two Mexicans, two Bulgarians and a Romanian — when it was taken hostage in November 2023. Some of the seafarers have been hospitalised with malaria while being held captive in Yemen, the ship’s owners and managers said in a statement.

The vessel was chartered by Japanese shipping line Nippon Yusen KK at the time of the hijacking.