Somali Pirates Set Free 15 Bulgarian Sailors from MV Panega Ship
The 15-member crew of the Bulgarian ship MV Panega have been released by the Somali pirates who had hijacked the vessel and are in good health.
Seven of Bulgaria's Somali-Kidnapped Sailors Arrive Back Home
Society | May 19, 2009, Tuesday // 11:52
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The only one who informed about the incident was Petko Penev from the ship's crew. Photo by Sofia Photo Agency
Seven of the kidnapped Bulgarian sailors who were recently released by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden have arrived back in Bulgaria on Tuesday.
Bulgaria's Deputy Foreign Minister, Milen Keremedchiev, welcomed them at Sofia Airport, Darik Radio reported.
"All the others from the Bulgarian crew are in a good medical condition. They will come back home after they arrive in Singapore", Minister Keremedchiev said.
Most of the sailors did not give any details regarding their ordeal. The only one who informed about the incident was Petko Penev from the ship's crew.
They will head for the Black Sea city of Varna later on Tuesday after arriving in Sofia on a flight from Sri Lanka's capital Colombo.
The Malaspina Castle ship was hijacked on April 6, 2009, in the Gulf of Aden. It is UK-owned under Panamanian flag. 16 of its 24-member crew were Bulgarians, and the rest included Russians, Ukrainians, and Filipinos.
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