BACOLOD City – An Ilonggo seafarer is among the 17 Filipinos currently being held hostage after the cargo ship Galaxy Leader was hijacked by Yemen-based Houthi rebels in the Red Sea on Nov. 19.
The seafarer has been identified as 41-year-old Leonardo Flores, a native of Pavia, Iloilo, and currently a resident of this city.
Leonardo’’s brother, Charlie Flores, stated in an interview with Radyo Bandera Sweet FM-Bacolod that the entire family is deeply concerned about Leonardo’s safety.
Charlie revealed that their elderly parents were devastated by the news; their mother almost fainted, and their father suffered a stroke upon learning that Leonardo was among the Filipinos taken captive by the Yemeni rebels.
Leonardo has been working as a seafarer for eight years and chose to work abroad to provide a better future for his family.
On Nov. 22, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary Eduardo Jose de Vega confirmed the hijacking and subsequent hostage-taking of the cargo ship’s crew. De Vega raised concerns that the hijacking might be connected to the ongoing war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has assured the seafarers’ families that the government is exerting all efforts to ensure the safety of the 17 Filipino crew members. The DFA is coordinating with their counterparts in the Middle East for the release of the Filipino hostages.
According to reports from foreign news outlets, the Houthi rebels seized the cargo ship believing it to be owned by an Israeli businessman. However, MarineTraffic.com reports that the Galaxy Leader, a roll-on/roll-off car carrier, is registered in the Bahamas and operated by a Japanese company. It was en route to the port of Pipavav in India when hijacked by the rebels.
The Houthis have stated that the ship’s crew is in good health and are being treated well in accordance with “Islamic customs”. They have also threatened that all ships belonging to Israel or those dealing with it will be tagged as “legitimate targets” and seized.
In addition to the 17 Filipinos, the remaining eight crew members are from Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Mexico.
The Houthi movement, an Iran-backed rebel group, has been heavily involved in the ongoing Yemeni Civil War since 2014. Allied with Hamas, the group has launched attacks against Israel in response to the conflict in the Gaza Strip. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Malaysia have designated the Houthi movement as a terrorist organization. (Watchmen Daily Journal)/PN
