HODEIDAH, Yemen, May 12 (Xinhua) -- A delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) visited on Sunday the Galaxy Leader, a vehicle carrier hijacked by the Houthi group, and met with its crew near the port city of Hodeidah in western Yemen.

The Houthi group said in a statement that the ICRC delegation met the crew on the ship and was informed of their health conditions.

A Xinhua reporter, who accompanied the delegation during its visit, confirmed that the delegation held a meeting with the 25-member crew, all of whom appeared to be in good health.

Houthi forces boarded the ship using a military helicopter on Nov. 19, 2023, and forced the ship to dock near the Hodeidah port. The Houthis have not disclosed when it would release those crews.

The ship is registered in Panama and co-owned by Nippon Yusen, a Japanese shipping company, and Ray Shipping, a company with partial ownership by Israeli businessman Abraham Ungar. The crew consists of 17 Filipinos, with the rest hailing from Bulgaria, Ukraine, Mexico, and Romania.

The Houthis have been targeting "Israel-linked" commercial vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict, in what they say is a show of solidarity with the Palestinians. Enditem

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