Watch: Houthis Release Video of ‘Galaxy Leader’ Seizure

Yemen’s Houthi group has released video footage allegedly showing the dramatic hijacking of the Galaxy Leader car carrier in the Red Sea. In the video, armed men can be seen descending from a helicopter onto the vessel and storming the ship’s bridge, taking crew hostage.

The footage, shared by the Houthi movement’s TV channel Al Masirah, comes after the ship’s seizure by the Iran-backed group in the southern Red Sea.

Last week, Houthi’s leader warned that it would target Israeli-linked ships in the region amid the Israel-Hamas war.

Equasis data shows the Bermuda-flagged pure car and truck carrier (PCTC) is owned by an Isle of Man-based company called Galaxy Maritime and managed by Ray Car Carriers, a company linked to Israeli businessman Rami Ungar.

Japanese shipping company NYK claims to be the charterer. The company says the ship was not carrying any cargo and it is working on the safe return of all 25 crew members on board. Equasis data shows the ISM manager is Stamco Ship Management based in Greece.

Galaxy Maritime issued a statement Monday saying communication was lost with the vessel on November 19 and reported that the ship has been taken to an anchorage at Yemen’s Hodeidah port, according to Reuters.

Read next: ‘Galaxy Leader’ Capture Reignites Fears Over Mideast Shipping

Unlock Exclusive Insights Today!

Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.

Sign Up