MCAD Maritime Cyber Attack Database
Year2023 |
MonthNovember |
Reference number20231102 |
Impact areaVessel |
Incident locationRed Sea |
Incident countryYemen |
Victim countryIsrael |
Victim identityBahamas-flagged Galaxy Leader cargo ship |
Victim TypeShipping company |
MethodAIS Spoofing |
Attacker countryYemen |
In November 2023, the Bahamas-flagged cargo ship Galaxy Leader, partially owned by Israeli businessman Rami Unger, was hijacked by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the Red Sea. Before the hijacking, the ship’s AIS (Automatic Identification System) was reportedly spoofed, broadcasting a false location off the coast of India while it was actually sailing through the Red Sea—an apparent effort to mask its real-time position. The vessel, leased from a British firm to a Japanese company, was traveling from Turkey to India when it was intercepted. The Houthis, backed by Iran, claimed responsibility, framing the act as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza and as a gesture of solidarity with Palestinians. While the ship sustained minor damage and no crew were physically harmed, 25 multinational crew members were taken hostage. The incident drew international condemnation and increased regional tensions, with both Japan and Israel demanding the crew’s immediate release.
