Bulgarian Sailors Hijacked by Somali Pirates

Somali pirates have hijacked a British-owned cargo ship with Bulgarian sailors aboard, after 48 hours of plunder at sea, the Times reported.

The 32,000-tonne Malaspina Castle, which flies a Panamanian flag, was reportedly taken on Monday morning in the Gulf of Aden.

She was the fifth ship snatched in two days off the Somali coast despite naval patrols along main shipping lanes.

The vessel has a crew of 24, from Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria and the Philippines.

The number of the Bulgarian sailors was not immediately known.

The Bulgarian Foreign Ministry said they have not yet received official information about the incident.

Somalia's pirates had been having a quiet year after their bumper haul in 2008, when they took almost 50 vessels.

Pirates are currently holding at least 15 vessels with some 250 crew members.

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