Crew of 'Galaxy Leader' ship released, Including two Bulgarian nationals

The Yemeni group 'Ansar Allah' has released the crew of the ship 'Galaxy Leader', which was hijacked at the end of 2023 in the Red Sea. Among the crew members are the captain and the first officer, both Bulgarian citizens.

Reuters reports that the crew is now heading towards Oman.

The Houthis of 'Ansar Allah' have stated that the release of the crew is part of a broader agreement to cease hostilities in the Gaza Strip. The group's statement emphasised that the release was coordinated with Hamas and facilitated by Oman.

In addition to the two Bulgarians, the crew of the Bahamian-flagged vessel includes citizens from Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico, and Romania. For over a year, 'Galaxy Leader' had been held in the port of Hodeida, which is under the control of the Houthis in Yemen.

Houthi fighters have periodically attacked ships in the Red Sea since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in a show of sympathy for the Palestinians. The ceasefire was agreed late last week and ended 15 months of strikes that had reduced much of Gaza to rubble.