Breda (Sunatimes) Five suspected Somali pirates have been on Tuesday arraigned in a Dutch court for seizing a South African yacht.

The five suspects, whose ages ranged from 20 to 30 at the time of their transfer to the Netherlands in December, are charged with piracy and sea robbery.

The five Somali suspects were accused of seizing the South African yacht, Choizil, off the coast of Tanzania on November 7^th, risking the lives of the crew on-board the vessel.

After the attack European Union anti-piracy task force in the Indian Ocean has rescued one member of Choizil’s crew while two others were taken ashore as hostages and now believed to be in the hands of pirates.

The Dutch prosecution department said the five Somali men were being tried under a law which gives the Netherlands international jurisdiction over piracy, a crime under international law and a verdict is expected on August 13 which will earn them up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.

By Dahir Alasow