The UN Special Envoy for Yemen and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General welcomed Wednesday the release of the 25-member crew of the commercial vessel the MV Galaxy Leader by Yemen’s Houthi rebels after a temporary ceasefire in Gaza, stressing the importance of ending all maritime attacks and ensuring the freedom and safety of navigation in international waters.

The MV Galaxy is a cargo ship affiliated with an Israeli businessman, which was chartered by Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen and registered in The Bahamas. The Houthis began attacking merchant ships connecting to Israel in response to the Gaza conflict in October 2023 in addition to launching missiles to Israel. It then hijacked the MV Galaxy in the Red Sea and took 25 crew members hostage. In January 2024, US and British forces carried out airstrikes on Houthi militants shortly after the UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted resolution 2722 which demands “an immediate halt on all attacks on merchants and commercial vessels in the Red Sea.”

Hans Grundberg, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, regarded the release of the crew as “a step in the right direction” and urged the Houthis to end the arbitrary detention and separation. He thanked Oman for its steadfast support in advocating for the release of the Galaxy Leader crew and detained personnel of the UN, international organizations, and diplomatic missions. He said, “These measures are critical in improving the space for mediation, which in the long-term will facilitate the resumption of the Yemeni political process that millions of Yemenis have been yearning for.”

IMO Secretary-General Mr. Arsenio Dominguez noted that innocent seafarers must not become collateral victims in wider geopolitical tensions, stressing that this event marks a return to normal operations in the Red Sea. “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 ensuring their wellbeing,” said Dominguez.

In June 2024, the Houthi rebels detained 11 employees working for the UN’s human rights agencies in Yemen. According to Amnesty International, Houthi authorities have detained 13 UN staff and at least 14 staff from Yemeni and international civil society organizations.

Pursuant to Article 23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention (1949) and Additional Protocol I (1977), humanitarian workers and medical personnel shall be respected and protected by international law for free passage for medical or support consignments. Despite the call for the immediate and urgent release of the humanitarian personnel by UN agencies and NGOs, addressing incidents involving non-state actors seizing ships in international waters requires engagements by multifaceted actors and cooperation of the international community to take proper legal measures against the perpetrators.