Bulgarian crew of Galaxy Leader 'knew they were not forgotten' despite being in Houthi captivity for 430 days

Efforts are being made for captain Lyubomir Chanev and assistant captain Danail Veselinov to reunite with their families

Elena Yoncheva, member of the European Parliament, had met Bulgarian sailors Lyubomir Chanev and Danail Veselinov in September last year. Photo: Elena Yoncheva / Facebook

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Two Bulgarian sailors of the cargo ship Galaxy Leader did not feel abandoned despite being held in captivity for 430 days by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Elena Yoncheva, member of the European Parliament, told The National on Thursday that captain Lyubomir Chanev and assistant captain Danail Veselinov knew that efforts were being made to free them.

They were among the 25 crew of the Bahamas-flagged ship that was among the first vessels to be hijacked by the Houthis in November 2023 soon after the war in Gaza began. The crew also included nationals from the Philippines, Romania and Mexico.

According to reports, they were repeatedly moved between the ship and land, and some members were hospitalised with malaria.

The crew was finally handed over to Oman on Wednesday “in support of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza” between Hamas and Israel, according to a statement broadcast by the Houthi-run Al Masirah TV.

Ms Yoncheva told The National on Thursday that she was able to keep their hopes up when she met them in September. She handed them Bulgarian books, aiming to reassure them that they were not forgotten.

“Lyubomir and Danail were happy and surprised to see someone from their country,” Ms Yoncheva recalled. “When I met them in September, I just wanted to give them hope so they knew they were not forgotten.”

Ms Yoncheva travelled to Sanaa and Hodeidah port to meet local authorities and appeal for their release.

“I had a good open dialogue with the authorities in Sanaa. It’s a relief they have finally been released.”

Bulgarian ministers and senior officials have flown to Muscat to organise their return home by Thursday night or early Friday. “They are OK and waiting to meet … and hug their family,” said Ms Yoncheva. “They will soon be home after more than a year in captivity.”

Japanese company NYK line operates the Galaxy Leader, but it is owned by Ray Car Carriers, registered in the Isle of Man and affiliated with the Israeli billionaire Abraham Ungar. The National reported in November 2023 that an Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps spy ship may have played a role in the capture of the ship, which had its location transponder turned off.

The Houthi seizure of the cargo ship on November 19, 2023, was the start of the campaign by the group to target ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. They launched more than 100 attacks on ships, in solidarity with Hamas over Israel's war on Gaza. This has had a profound effect on international shipping in the area, forcing companies to reroute to longer and more expensive voyages around southern Africa. Each rerouted journey adds more than 20,300km to the journeys, costing $1 million more in fuel, the US Defence Intelligence Agency estimated.

Crew of the Galaxy Leader ship, consisting of nationals from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Mexico, Ukrainie and Romania were transported from Sanaa to Muscat aboard Oman's Royal Air Force aircraft. Photo: Oman News Agency / X

In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr expressed “utmost joy” over the release of the seafarers and thanked the Sultan of Oman and the government for their mediation in helping secure their release.

Mr Marcos said the Filipino sailors would soon “be reunited with their loved ones in the Philippines”.

In a statement sent to The National, Dr Peter Rouch, secretary general of The Mission to Seafarers, said the release of the crew of the Galaxy Leader “is a moment of profound relief. Not only for the hostages and their families, but for everyone who has supported them throughout this ordeal”.

The Mission to Seafarers said their dedicated teams in Jordan and Cyprus have provided support to the families of the crew who were “severely impacted” by the ordeal, leaving them with “unimaginable fear and uncertainty”.

They also played a role in “facilitating the engagement of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) … to secure the crew’s release”.

Dr Rouch said they will also “remain available to assist as the crew transition home to be reunited with their families. This incident is a stark reminder of the threats faced by seafarers, which are often outside of their control. Seafarers must never be used as geopolitical pawns. Their rights to perform their lawful duties must be upheld without compromise”.

“Today, as we express our deepest gratitude for those whose efforts made the release possible, we also celebrate the extraordinary resilience demonstrated by the crew and their families. Their courage in the face of such trauma serves as an inspiration to us all,” Dr Rouch said.