Military Plane Sent to Fetch Hijacked Bulgarian Sailors

The MV Panega was hijacked by pirates even though it was part of an internationally guarded convoy. Photo by EU Navfor

A Spartan military plane flew off from Varna Tuesday morning to bring back from Oman sailors from the Bulgarian ship Panega which was hijacked off the coast of Somalia.

The crew, who are alive and well, are expected home Thursday.

On May 11, 2010, the MV Panega became the first ever Bulgaria-flagged ship to be hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden.

Last Thursday it was announced that pirates had released it, and that the crew is well and is taking over.

The ironic part of the story is that the ship was heading to be cut for scrap when it was hijacked.

It is now sailing to the port of Salala in Oman, where the crew will be replaced by 15 new Bulgarian sailors.

They will sail the ship to India, where it will be scrapped.

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