EU NAVFOR Welcomes Prosecution of 7 Somali Pirates

On Tuesday 7 August 2012 seven Somali men were found guilty by a Kenyan court of attempting to commit an act of piracy against a French fishing vessel, MV Captain St Vincent, off the Somali Coast in October 2009. 

Following the terrifying attack, the pirates, operating in 2 attack skiffs, were located by an EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warship that was conducting counter-piracy patrols nearby. 

After arriving at the scene, the boarding team from the warship detained the suspect pirates, and they were subsequently transferred to Kenya for trial.  Based on what had been observed by counter piracy forces and reported by the crew from Captain St. Vincent, all of the suspect pirates were found guilty and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment.  They will serve their sentence in Kenyan jails.

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Naval Today Staff, August 10, 2012; Image: EU NAVFOR