Bulgarian Sailors Held Captive: Ship Hijacking by Yemeni Rebels Enters Third Week

The captain of the ship "Galaxy Leader" and the first assistant captain of the ship, who are Bulgarians, remain in captivity of the Houthis for more than two weeks. Together with them, there are 23 other crew members, including sailors from Ukraine, the Philippines, Mexico and Romania.

A day ago it became clear that, although limited, the kidnapped sailors have contact with their families.

Yemen's Houthi rebels stormed the cargo ship in the Red Sea on November 19, the Voice of America (VOA) recalled, showing a video that was released by the Iran-backed group. The footage shows a helicopter flying over the vessel, from which heavily armed Yemeni rebels jump out and take over the vessel.

The Houthis brandish weapons at the ship's crew and order them to lie on the ground. The kidnapped "Galaxy Leader" is located in the Yemeni port area of Hodeidah, according to its owner Galaxy Maritime, which is registered in the Isle of Man.

The Houthi movement continues to claim that the owner has ties to Israel. Official Tel Aviv denied this and said the seized ship was British-owned and operated by Japan.

The Houthis are a group linked to Iran that has become a major military force in the Arabian Peninsula, VOA recalled. Even before the kidnapping, their leader warned that they would attack Israeli ships in the Red Sea and said the attacks would continue until the Israeli army stopped its "aggression" in the Gaza Strip.

A Hamas representative thanked the Houthis for capturing the ship. He called it a welcome step in support of the Palestinian people. For its part, the US condemned the hijacking, which it said was a violation of international law, and demanded that the Houthis immediately release the vessel and its crew.

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