New York, Apr 28 (IANS/RIA Novosti): The UN Security Council has unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Russia to set up a special body to try Somalian ship hijackers.

The Security Council has called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to provide "concrete" measures for the prosecution of pirates, including a special chamber at the national court of one of the countries in the region.

The Secretary-General's report would contain "concrete proposals and recommendations" on the prosecution of pirates, particularly the creation of a "special juridical anti-piracy body", said Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin.

The diplomat said that the absence of an established legal system in the fight against sea piracy hinders the "elimination of the whole piracy problem".

Sometimes "people suspected of piracy are released just because it is impossible to bring them to justice quickly", he said.

According to the International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center, Somali pirates attacked 217 vessels last year and hijacked 47 of them.

In 2008, pirates staged 111 attacks off the Somali coast, seizing 42 ships.

About 20 countries, including leading NATO member states, India, China and several Arab states, have sent warships to the Gulf of Aden.