2024-03-17 05:53:10
We are making efforts for their timely return to Bulgaria, she assured
“All the sailors are in good health, they are on board the Indian warship. It facilitated their release. From now on, we are making efforts for their timely return to Bulgaria”. This was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Maria Gabriel, who gave an extraordinary briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with the release of the Bulgarian sailors from the ship “Rouen”.
She recalled that the ship “Rouen” with eight Bulgarian, nine Myanmar and one Angolan citizens on board was captured by pirates in the Arabian Sea in December last year.
“From the very beginning of the serious incident, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in close cooperation with all competent Bulgarian institutions, the foreign representations of Bulgaria in the region and our international partners in the EU and NATO, actively engaged in the release of the crew on board,” said Gabriel.
She added that daily contacts were maintained at the highest and operational level. “Including with the leadership of the EU-led naval operation Atalanta, guarding commercial ships sailing in the Arabian Sea. Our goal was to obtain constant information on the condition of the sailors, on the location of the ship and to explore all possibilities for their timely release “, she clarified.
Gabriel reminded that on December 17 last year, again with the help of the Indian Navy, the wounded assistant captain was evacuated from the board of the hijacked ship “Rouen”.
The Foreign Ministry remained in full mobilization until the release and return to Bulgaria of all our sailors who are still in the hands of kidnappers, assured Gabriel.