The images showed the landing of a helicopter with military personnel on the upper deck of the ship, as well as the capture of the Galaxy Leader bridge. Judging by the video, several dozen people, a helicopter and boats participated in the Houthi operation.
During the landing, government troops captured all the crew members, but there were no shots fired in the footage: the ship’s crew surrendered. The Bahamian flag under which the Galaxy Leader sailed was replaced by a Yemeni one when she was transported to the port of Hodeidah.
It was previously reported that Yemen’s Houthis seized the Nippon Yusen-operated cargo ship Galaxy Leader in the southern Red Sea. However, according to the London Stock Exchange, Galaxy Leader is owned by a company registered as Ray Car Carriers, based in the Isle of Man, which is a division of Ray Shipping, registered in Tel Aviv.
Israel, for its part, claimed that the seized ship belonged to Britain and was operated by a Japanese company.
