Somali-Hijacked Bulgarian Sailors to Return Home Wednesday

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

The 15-member crew of the Bulgarian ship Panega are set to arrive at Varna at 7 pm EET Wednesday.

This information was given by Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Vesela Cherneva, who said that the Spartan plane sent to bring back the sailors had set off this morning from Salala in Oman and after refueling in Egypt it will be back to Varna Wednesday evening.

Most of the crew come from the Varna region. ???

?????????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.

After being freed, the ship sailded to the port of Salala in Oman, where the crew was replaced by 15 new Bulgarian sailors flewn with the plane that is to bring back the kidnapped crew.

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

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