Source: AFP
The Seychelles sentenced five Somalis to 18 years in prison for attacking two French fishing boats in the Indian Ocean in November.
The country's supreme court handed down the sentences Thursday for the men caught after a failed attack on the two vessels, the Cap Sainte-Marie and the Talenduic, on November 17, 2010 between the Seychelles and Madagascar.
The crew of the Talenduic, a French tuna boat, were targeted by the pirates as they fished waters around 400 miles south of the Somali coast on March 8.
The French boat was forced to put out a call for help to other ships in the area when they were surrounded by three boats being piloted in an aggressive fashion.
The pirates then attempted to attack the fishing boat, apparently unaware that all French boats currently fishing in the region are carrying armed guards.
Their attack was reportedly countered with rifle fire causing them to abandon their attempts and make efforts to flee the area.
But in the panic two of the pirate craft were capsized, after being hit by swells and driving into a rescue vessel arriving on the scene, depositing half a dozen Somali pirates into the Indian Ocean.
The French crew helped to rescue their attackers pulling them aboard one of the Tuna boats.
Presiding judge Ducan Gaswaga said the prosecutor had proved that the five were behind the ambush and that pictures taken by surveillance planes placed them at the scene of attack.
Rampant attacks by Somali pirates have affected the Seychelles, whose economy depends mainly on fishing and tourism.
Since signing a deal last year with the European Union and other powers to prosecute pirates detained at sea, the Indian Ocean nation has so far sentenced 25 Somalis to lengthy jail terms.