Outgoing Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel said that all sailors from the rescued cargo ship Ruen are safe and in good health on board an Indian warship. Gabriel gave a media briefing at the Foreign Ministry in connection with the release of the seven Bulgarian sailors on board and their timely return to Bulgaria.
Gabriel recalled that the Ruen cargo ship sailing under the Maltese flag from South Korea to Turkiye was hijacked on December 14 in the Arabian Sea by pirates, and there were eight Bulgarians and ten foreign sailors on board.
Gabriel stressed that since the beginning of the incident, the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry, in close cooperation with all competent Bulgarian institutions, the overseas representations of the Republic of Bulgaria in the region, international partners in the EU and NATO, have been extremely actively involved in the efforts to free the Bulgarian sailors and the crew on board. Daily contacts were maintained at the highest and operational level, including with the leadership of the EU-led Atalanta naval operation guarding merchant ships sailing in the Arabian Sea, Gabriel pointed out. She noted that the goal was to obtain constant information about the condition of the sailors, about the location of the ship, to look through all possibilities for their timely release.
Gabriel recalled that on December 17, with the help of the Indian Navy, the wounded first mate was evacuated from the hijacked ship.
Earlier on Saturday, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India to Bulgaria Sanjay Rana was invited to the Foreign Ministry, and a request was made for assistance in the release of the sailors from the Indian authorities and for taking all possible actions to protect their lives and wellbring. Thanks to the efforts of the Indian Navy, the crew from the Rouen was freed, Gabriel said.
She expressed gratitude for the assistance of the Indian side in the entire process of releasing the Bulgarian sailors. Gabriel also thanked her team from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry's Situation Centre, the country's foreign representations, international partners, including the Foreign Minister of Italy, Antonio Tajani, with whom the Bulgarian Ministry has been in continuous contact.
The Foreign Ministry and all competent institutions will remain in full mobilization until the release and successful return to Bulgaria of all other Bulgarian sailors who are still in the hands of hijackers, Gabriel said.
The Rouen ship was hijacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea on December 14. Earlier, the Foreign Ministry said that the crew of the hijacked ship was freed with the help of the Indian Navy.
/DT/
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