It has been reported that the five Somali pirates, recently tried by the Rotterdam courts for the failed hijack of the cargo vessel Sananyolu, have been sentenced to five years' imprisonment.

This could turn out to be a landmark case since, apparently, the crew did not attend to give evidence in person but provided written testimony, and also since the pirates threw their weapons over the side, but evidence was reported from a Danish frigate's crew that the pirates had used them.

The pirates attacked the 3,254dwt general cargo vessel Sananyolu, a Dutch Antilles flagged ship, in January 2009. The pirates were intercepted by a Danish frigate and European warrants for their arrest were subsequently issued by the Netherlands.

At the trial, they alleged that they were simply fishing, despite evidence of using heavy weaponry against the vessel.