Red Cross Visits Bulgarian Crew Members on Hijacked 'Galaxy Leader' Ship

A team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited the crew of the "Galaxy Leader" for the second time since the ship was hijacked by Yemen's Houthi rebels, as reported by the Associated Press.

The vessel's crew consists of 25 members, including two Bulgarians, Lyubomir Chanev and Danail Veselinov. The group also includes sailors from the Philippines, Romania, Ukraine, and Mexico. All crew members are currently detained in the Yemeni port city of Hudaydah.

Jurg Montani, the head of the ICRC delegation, noted that the visit was coordinated with local authorities, who allowed access to the crew. The initial visit occurred in May. Montani explained that part of the ICRC's mandate involves visiting all individuals detained due to the conflict. He added that the organization aims to facilitate communication between detainees and their families or their respective diplomatic representatives.

On September 10th, Elena Yoncheva, a former journalist and current Member of the European Parliament (MEP), met with Bulgarians Lubomir Chanev and Danail Veselinov, who have been held by Houthi rebels since November of last year.

Traveling from Sana'a to Al Hudaydah, Yoncheva arranged the meeting at a secure location outside the ship, accompanied by a foreign affairs adviser to Bulgaria's president, who assured that efforts to resolve the situation were being taken seriously. Marking ten months since their capture, Yoncheva aimed to provide hope to the sailors, who expressed feelings of desperation and abandonment, and reassured them of her commitment to help bring them home.