The Highjacked "Galaxy Leader" is in the Port of Hudaydah

The merchant ship "Galaxy Leader" hijacked on Sunday in the Red Sea is located in the port area of Hudaydah, the ship owner announced on Monday, quoted by "Reuters".

According to the British Isle of Man-registered Galaxy Maritime Ltd, "all communications with the ship were lost" after gunmen were taken aboard by helicopter.

On Monday, the Houthis showed a video of the hijacking of the ship, on board of which there are also two Bulgarians - the captain and his first assistant:

"The company, as a shipping concern, will no longer comment on the political or geopolitical situation," the statement quoted by Reuters said.

Footage of Houthi forces hijacking the ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea yesterday. pic.twitter.com/PSFLpV4FLA

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) November 20, 2023

Hudaydah is Yemen's main port on the Red Sea. About 70% of commercial imports and humanitarian aid to Yemen enter the country through it.

The United States denounced the seizure of the vessel as a violation of international law and demanded the immediate release of the vessel and its crew.

"The seizure of the motor ship Galaxy Leader in the Red Sea by the Houthis is a flagrant violation of international law," US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said at a briefing. "We demand the immediate release of the ship and its crew and will consult with our allies and UN partners on appropriate next steps."

The crew of the ship, sailing under the flag of the Bahamas, consists of citizens of Bulgaria, Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico and Romania, "Galaxy Maritime" reported. The ship was chartered by the Japanese "Nippon Yusen".

"The owners and managers believe that the seizure of this vessel represents a gross violation of freedom of passage for the world's fleet and a serious threat to international trade," the ship owner also stated.

It added that "the primary concern at this time is the safety and security of the 25 crew members currently detained by the perpetrators of this criminal act."

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