Somali pirates get 439-year sentences

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A Spanish court has convicted two Somali men of piracy for the 2009 takeover of a Spanish fishing vessel and sentenced each to 439 years in prison, CNN reported.

The long prison terms stem mainly from the conviction for illegal detention of the vessel's 36 crew members, with a sentence of 11 years for each count of piracy, or 396 years.

In addition, the defendants were convicted on three other counts, including armed robbery and belonging to a criminal gang, which boosted the overall sentence to 439 years.

The vessel, the Alakrana, was freed in November 2009 after being held for 47 days off the coast of Somalia. The crew included 16 Spanish sailors and 20 from Africa and Asia, CNN reported.