Finally, the 17 Pinoy seafarers who were held captive by the Houthi rebels for more than a year have been released. The Filipinos were part of the 25-member crew of the M/V Galaxy Leader that was captured in November 2023 while passing through the Red Sea.
"I am happy to announce that all 17 Filipino seafarers, along with the rest of the crew of the M/V Galaxy Leader, have been released safely. They are currently under the care of the Philippine Embassy in Muscat, Oman and they will soon be able to join their families in the Philippines,” President Marcos said on Thursday, January 23.
Marcos also thanked Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman for their help and intervention.
"I commend Philippine government agencies and the private sector that worked tirelessly with foreign governments and other groups for the successful release of our countrymen," Marcos added.
According to the Iran-backed Houthi fighters, they made the arrest in retaliation for the Israel-Hamas war.
On the other hand, Hamas and Israel have agreed on a ceasefire recently.
