Hijacked Bulgarian Ship Remains Out of Reach

The somali pirates remain out of touch as the operator of the Bulgarian-flagged hijacked ship try to start negotians with them for the release of the 15 sailors on board the MV Panega. Photo by BGNES/ EPA

No contact has been established with the Somali pirates that hijacked Tuesday the Bulgarian-flagged ship, MV Panega.

The former Bulgarian state-owned sea company Navigation Maritime Bulgare, which is the official operator of the chemical tanker MV Panega, announced Thursday that there's been no development on the negotiations with the Somali pirates as they have been unable to get in touch with the hijackers.

In an interview for BNR, the executive director of Navigation Maritime Bulgare, captain Hristo Donev, announced Thursday that th company's crisis management department is working at full steam, yet expectations are that no contact will be established Thursday.

The spokesperson of NAVIBULGAR, Atanas Panayotov, said Wednesday that the company expects talks with the Somali hijackers to go swiftly and the ship to be released quickly as there is no cargo on board the MV Panega.

The chemical tanker MV Panega was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden Tuesday night despite the fact that it was a part of a EU Navfor Somalia convoy.

Bulgaria's Foreign Ministry announced Wednesday that the MV Panega is still traveling in the direction of the Horn of Africa at a speed of 10 knots, and that it has not managed to establish contact with the crew of the ship.

The Bulgarian government’s group of the Foreign, Defense, and Transport Ministries vows to make public every single piece of new and confirmed information on the case.

With the hijacking of the MV Panega, a total of 28 Bulgarian sailors are in held hostage by Somali pirates.

 

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