From Defence Web

Eleven pirates have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 18 months to 16 years in the Seychelles Supreme Court.

The sentences were handed down on Wednesday in connection with acts of piracy and operating a pirate vessel between May 7 and 12 last year.

The pirates were apprehended by the Royal Netherlands Navy frigate HNLMS Van Amstel last May after the vessel’s Lynx helicopter sighted a suspicious fishing dhow towing two skiffs 400 nautical miles off the Somali coast.

“When the warship’s boarding team approached the dhow the Dutch Navy crew found 11 suspected pirates of Somali origin and 17 hostages on board,” the EUNavFor (EU Naval Force, Somalia) said in a statement.

“After taking the suspected pirates to HNLMS Van Amstel the Dutch boarding team found significant evidence linking the 11 men to an armed attack on Motor Tanker Super Lady a few days earlier.

“The 17 freed hostages, all Iranian fishermen, were very grateful to the Dutch sailors for rescuing them from the armed pirates.”

The Royal Netherlands Navy has contributed warships to EUNavFor since the EU counter piracy operation began in December 2008. The current force flagship is HNLMS Johan de Witt, with Commodore Peter Lenselink embarked as force commander.

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