Captain Lyubomir Chanev and Senior Mate Danail Veselinov have been released and are expected to return to Bulgaria today. The two sailors, part of the crew of the cargo ship "Galaxy Leader," were taken hostage in the Red Sea in late November 2023.

The US branded the Houthi release of the Galaxy Leader crew as insufficient and demanded a permanent end to the group’s attacks on shipping in the Red Sea. The State Department welcomed the release of the 25-strong crew from the 5,100-ceu car carrier (built 2002) but said that the ship remained “stolen property” of the rebel group.

“The Houthis had unlawfully detained the crew since violently seizing their vessel over a year ago. The Houthis have still not released the MV Galaxy Leader itself, which is stolen property. Houthi attacks have endangered the lives of seafarers, hindered the delivery of essential humanitarian assistance, and harmed economies across the region.

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader more than a year after they seized their

Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader more than a year after they seized the vessel off the coast of Yemen, Al Masirah TV reported on Wednesday. The crew were handed to Oman "in coordination" with Palestinian militant group Hamas after a ceasefire deal in Gaza was brokered with Israel,

Yemen’s Houthi rebels said they have released the crew of the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier seized in November 2023 at the start of their campaign in the Red Sea corridor. The rebels said they released the sailors after mediation by Oman.

For a long time tourism in Bulgaria didn't consist of much more than pandering to the local members of the politburo, spending summers in their holiday homes on the coast of the Black Sea at Varna ...

Shipping companies expressed caution about using the shorter route between Asia and Europe that many ships have avoided for more than a year.

Liner operators led by MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company will continue to avoid the Red Sea until it is safe. That stance is reflected in liner schedules that suggest the major carriers expect to continue to use the Cape of Good Hope routes, as they have since late December 2023, for much of the remainder of 2025.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi movement has released the crew of a cargo ship more than a year after its fighters hijacked the vessel in the Red Sea, as part of its campaign of attacks in support of Hamas in its war against Israel.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have signaled they will limit their attacks in the Red Sea corridor to only Israeli-affiliated ships as a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip takes hold