I always check the bars on planets and stations when I dock (old habit) and I encountered this (shortly after reading a thread about the Hispania too) I'll quote it because I don't feel like posting it (I'll email it to anyone willing to post it)

"When the Hispania was badly damaged while traveling to the Sirius Sector, the crew had to determine the best way to survive. Half of the crew wanted to abandon ship and make the rest of the journey using Hispania's shuttles; the other half believed they could reach Sirius in the Hispania. Those who chose to stay behind held the ship together until planetfall here on Malta."

Now I just need to find the rumor about the shuttles. Not that I don't already know where they landed...