MEP Elena Yoncheva is in the city of Sanaa, Yemen, aiming to reach the port city of Hodeidah on the Red Sea. There lies the hijacked ship Galaxy Leader, where Captain Lyubomir Chanev and Chief Mate Danail Veselinov are being held by the Houthi rebels. The two Bulgarian nationals are part of the crew of Galaxy Leader which was hijacked on November 19, 2023.

''This is a humanitarian mission supported logistically by the UN, to meet with Lyubomir and Danail and to learn more about the situation. Their families have not seen them for ten months and are extremely worried. Until now, no European politician has managed to meet with them or the crew, which includes three EU citizens. Meeting with the Bulgarian sailors will give hope to their loved ones that they are not abandoned and that the process of their release is close", said Elena Yoncheva.

Before becoming an MEP, Elena Yoncheva was a journalist known for her reports from some of the world's hottest spots, including conflicts in Kosovo, Algeria, Chechnya, Israel, Afghanistan, Iraq, Venezuela, Colombia, etc.