A Japanese warship last Saturday helped a Maltese-registered freighter which was approached by what are thought to have been pirate boats, the Japanese media has reported.

The frigate Samidare received a call for assistance from the Maltese ship on Saturday afternoon and scrambled a helicopter to provide assistance. It also sounded a warning. The boats turned away without pressing an attack.

Two Japanese frigates have been on anti-piracy patrol off Somalia for a month to protect Japanese-registered vessels and foreign registered ships with Japanese crews or cargoes on board.

The Japanese media said that although the Maltese ship did not fall within those operational parameters, the rescue was seen as necessary for humanitarian reasons under international law.

Another Japanese warship in March gave similar assistance to a Singapore-registered cargo ship.

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