THE Houthis say they have released the crew of vehicle carrier Galaxy Leader (IMO: 9237307), 430 days after the US-designated terrorist group hijacked the ship and began wreaking havoc in the Red Sea.

A spokesman for the Houthis told Lloyd's List in an email that the crew of the Galaxy Leader vessel, consisting of 25 individuals of various nationalities, was released in co-ordination with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and through the mediation of the Sultanate of Oman.

"They were transported from Sana'a to Muscat aboard a Royal Air Force of Oman aircraft in preparation for their return to their respective countries," he said.

 Spokespersons for the ship’s managers and owners and the Omani mission to the UN in New York have been approached for comment.

Galaxy Leader was abducted on November 19, 2023, along with its crew of 25 Filipino, Mexican, Romanian, Bulgarian and Ukrainian seafarers.

The Iran-backed Houthis said they seized the vessel to support fellow Iran-backed group, Hamas, which was at war with Israel after perpetrating the October 7 massacre.

The Bahamas-flagged vehicle carrier is owned by Ray Car Carriers and was operated by NYK. Ray Car Carriers is partly owned by Israeli billionaire Abraham “Rami” Unger.

The fate of the vessel was not immediately clear. Its Automatic Identification System data as of Wednesday afternoon placed it in Ras Isa port.

Following the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Houthis on Sunday announced a partial stop to Red Sea attacks. They had targeted more than 130 vessels during their campaign of terror in the Red Sea, killing four seafarers and sinking two vessels.

Lloyd’s List did not receive confirmation from the vessel’s owner or managers in time for this story’s publication, but industry leaders welcomed news of the crew’s release.

International Maritime Organization secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez called the release “a moment of profound relief for all of us — not only for the crew and their families, but also to the wider maritime community”.

“I am grateful for all the member states, regional entities and international partners whose steadfast support and strategic engagement were pivotal in securing the crew’s freedom, and to ensuring their well-being,” he said in a statement.

“Today’s breakthrough is a testament to the power of collective diplomacy and dialogue, recognising that innocent seafarers must not become collateral victims in wider geopolitical tensions. It is also a return to operations in the Red Sea as we have been accustomed to and upholding of the freedom of navigation.”

In a statement, World Shipping Council president and chief executive Joe Kramek said:

“Finally. What immense relief for the Galaxy Leader crew and their families to hear the news of their release after 14 months in captivity.

“The detention of innocent seafarers is completely unacceptable and illegal.”

International Chamber of Shipping secretary-general Guy Platten said the organisation welcomed the news of the Galaxy Leader crew being released.

"The fact that the innocent crew were held for over 430 days is unacceptable and a truly dreadful situation," Platten said in a statement.

"Nobody should have to endure such an ordeal, and we call on all nations to support our seafarers and shipping so that this does not happen again.

"ICS deplores any and all attacks on shipping as they are a breach of international law and threaten the lives of innocent seafarers and the safety of merchant shipping."