Mexican sailor returns home to festivities after 14 months in Houthi rebel captivity

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(25 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Veracruz, Mexico - 24 January 2025
1. Released Galaxy Leader crew member Arturo Zacarías Meza arriving at the airport in Veracruz
2. Zacarías hugging his mother

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Misantla, Mexico - 24 January 2025
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Arturo Zacarías Meza, Released Galaxy Leader crew member:
"The truth is that I did not expect it, it was a very nice surprise to feel all the warmth of the people. Like my family, I am very happy to be back here. Thank you very much to the people who supported my family."

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Veracruz, Mexico - 24 January 2025
4. Zacarías walking out of airport ++PART COVERING SHOT 3++
5. Family members hugging Zacarías ++PART COVERING SHOT 3++
6. Zacarías leading a bike caravan on his way back to his hometown

ASSOCIATED PRESS
Misantla, Mexico - 24 January 2025
7. Various of Zacarías celebrating his return with family members ++PART COVERING SHOT 8++
8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Arturo Zacarías Meza, Released Galaxy Leader crew member:
"The Houthi authorities told us that we were heroes for Palestine, that we were an important piece in the war and the ceasefire, and from seeing so many people dying on TV, so much suffering, there are so many feelings. The war needs to stop. We hoped very much that the war would stop."
9. Zacarías holding a statue of the Virgin of Guadalupe ++PART COVERING SHOT 8++
10 . Zacarías dancing with his family and friends ++PART COVERING SHOT 8++
STORYLINE:
Mexican sailor Arturo Zacarías Meza returned home to celebrations on Friday, days after Houthi rebels in Yemen released him and his fellow crew members following more than a year in captivity.

Emotions ran high at the airport in Veracruz as the 32-year-old was reunited with his family.

From there, the merchant marine travelled to his hometown of Misantla, where he was welcomed by locals on bicycles and in cars.

Zacarías and much of the rest of the crew of the Galaxy Leader were resting in their quarters on Nov. 19, 2023, when Houthi rebels descended from a helicopter onto the ship transiting the Red Sea.

The rebels told them in broken English that they weren’t pirates and weren’t looking for money, he said. They said they wanted to stop the war in Gaza.

The Houthis said they hijacked the Galaxy Leader over its connection to Israel.

The attack launched the rebels’ campaign targeting ships in international waters in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait that connects them.

The Bahamas-flagged vessel is affiliated with an Israeli billionaire, Abraham "Rami" Ungar, who is known as one of the richest men in Israel.

In addition to Mexico, the 25-member crew hailed from the Philippines, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine.

During his captivity, Zacarías fell into a habit of sleeping 12 hours a day. Eventually, the crew won the trust of their captors and were permitted 30 minutes once a week to call their families.

Their release this week was brokered by Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula that’s long been an interlocutor with the Houthis.

The move by the Iranian-backed Houthis marked their latest effort to de-escalate their attacks following a ceasefire in Gaza.

Zacarías said Friday that Houthi leaders had praised the crew as heroes for Palestine and an important piece of the still fresh ceasefire with Israel.

AP Video by Iván Sánchez

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