The ship was hijacked by Somali pirates with its entire crew, seven of whom were Bulgarian nationals. The highly professional intervention of the Indian servicemen proved India's essential role in ensuring the safety of merchant shipping in the region, the Bulgarian president said. Radev stressed that his country highly appreciated the assistance provided as a new clear manifestation of the traditional friendly relations between the two countries and peoples. Rumen Radev said he was confident that the development and upgrading of relations between Bulgaria and India would continue in the future with the joint efforts of the two countries.