Houthis Allow Crew of Hijacked "Galaxy Leader" to Have Limited Contact with Their Families

The company owning the commercial vessel "Galaxy Leader" announced this week that the Yemeni Houthi group, which seized the ship in the Red Sea last month, has allowed crew members to have "limited contact" with their families, while several countries are pressing for their release. Special forces from the Houthis captured the Bahamas-flagged ship on November 19 and took it to the port of Hodeidah in northern Yemen, which is controlled by the group. The company, "Galaxy Maritime," reported that the crew consists of nationals from Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico, and Romania. The ship is leased by the Japanese company Nippon Yusen. The company, registered in the Isle of Man, stated, "The safety and security of the crew members remain a priority for the owners and management, and the limited contact allowed for crew members with their families indicates that the sailors are being treated in the best possible manner given the circumstances."