Pirates Demand Ransom Drop for Bulgaria Sailors’ Release

A ransom of USD1-3 M dropped by parachute to the Somali pirates holding the 16 Bulgarian sailors on board the Malaspina Castle, will allegedly secure their release.

Bulgaria's Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister, Milen Keremedchiev, confirmed Friday that the "the conclusion of the sailors' case is a matter of days away," cited by Bulgarian daily newspaper Standart.

"The size of the ransom has already been negotiated with the abductors of the Malaspina Castle cargo ship. We are currently discussing the technical parameters," Keremedchiev concluded without giving a precise sum.

The news of the ransom demand and the imminent release of the sailors came first from journalist Elena Yoncheva, who reported from Somalia that the sailors' freedom may be paid for sooner that expected, cited by Bulgarian National Television (BNT).

"I don't know whether the pirates resorted to violence against our compatriots, but they are known for keeping their hostages in a good physical shape in order to receive the sum for the ransom," Yoncheva added.

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