A British-owned and Japanese-operated cargo ship was taken over by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea on Sunday, according to Israel, which called the event a "Iranian act of terrorism" with implications for global marine security.
Tehran's ally, the Houthis, acknowledged that they had taken control of a ship in that region, but they identified it as Israeli.
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The chief government spokesperson for Japan announced on Monday that the Nippon Yusen-operated ship Galaxy Leader had been captured. The spokesperson further stated that Japan was pleading with the Houthis and enlisting the assistance of Saudi, Omani, and Iranian authorities in order to facilitate the prompt release of the ship and its crew.
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Glovis Star and Hermes Leader, two other ships that are identified as being commercially handled by Ray Car Carriers, redirected their sailing paths on Sunday, according to a Monday statement from Ambrey.
When it veered off course, the Hermes Leader was headed south of Nishtun in Yemen.
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The ship kept sailing in the direction it had came from, giving Hambantota, Sri Lanka, as a new AIS destination, according to Ambrey. "The vessel incurred a minimum four-day business disruption and sailed an additional 1,876 nautical miles."
According to AIS ship tracking data released on Monday, the Glovis Star floated in the Red Sea for several hours before continuing on its mission.
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The Galaxy Leader's registered owner, Galaxy Maritime Ltd, is based on the Isle of Man. The company released a statement on Monday stating that on November 19, "military personnel illegally boarded the vessel via a helicopter."
The Galaxy Leader was taken over around 50 miles west of the Houthi-controlled port of Hodeidah, according to a warning from the U.S. maritime agency MARAD. The advisory also advised ships to "exercise caution when transiting this area."
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"We saw yesterday a new record - for the first time we saw (an) official announcement of pirates taking over a ship on the high seas, which I think is a major threat to international law and order," Israeli President Isaac Herzog said, referring to the Galaxy Leader, in remarks on Monday.
Jonathan Saul reported, while Mark Porter and Christina Fincher edited.
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A representative for the company stated that it would not be commenting on "political issues" any more when questioned about the other two vessels diverting.
The Houthi leadership threatened to strike Israel again last week, threatening to target Israeli ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.
