Somali Pirates Let Bulgarian Sailors Talk to Relatives

Politics » DIPLOMACY | January 5, 2010, Tuesday // 16:30
Bulgaria: Somali Pirates Let Bulgarian Sailors Talk to Relatives The hijacked ship "Asian Glory" has 8 Bulgarian sailors. Photo by vesseltracker.com

The eight Bulgarian members of the crew of the UK flagged ship Asian Glory have been allowed by their Somali kidnappers to phone their relatives.

The sailors have told their families that they were sound and safe, and that they suspected that negotiations for the ransom for their release had been started.

Earlier, the website of the EU NavFor Somalia, EU’s naval operation against the Somali pirates codenamed Atalanta, announced that the Asian Glory ship had already reached off the coast of Somalia and had been anchored not far from the St James Park tanker which has five Bulgarian crew members.

Asian Glory was hijacked on January 1, 2010, and St. James Park – on December 29, 2009. A total of 13 Bulgarian sailors were captured by the Somali pirates. The two ships are reported to be on anchor near the port of Hobyo, on the Somalian coast.

Both ships are operated by the UK company Zodiac. The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry did not confirm Tuesday the news about the start of negotiations for the release of the Bulgarian sailors but Deputy Foreign Minister Marin Raykov said the talks might be starting any time.

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Tags: somali pirates, St James Park, Asian Glory, hijack, sailors, ransom, negotiations

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