Somali men found guilty in first U.S. piracy conviction in 200 years

(NORFOLK, Va.) — Five Somali men have been convicted of piracy in an attack on a U.S. Navy ship, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported. It is the first conviction in a piracy case in almost 200 years. The impoverished fishermen had hoped to earn $40,000 by hijacking a merchant ship near Djibouti in April, but by mistake they took on the naval vessel.
 
Click here to view the BBC’s story, including a courtroom sketch.
By Professional Mariner Staff