The American Navy destroyer USS San Jacinto (CG 56) on Monday disrupted an attack by nine Somali pirates on a Maltese-flagged vessel, the Navy said.

USS San Jacinto responded to a distress call M/V Avenue Beauty, which was transiting 90 miles north of Somalia, when it was attacked by pirates. The vessel master immediately sounded the alarm and directed his crew to execute counter-piracy measures which caused the pirate vessel to interrupt the attack and fled.

The American Navy vessel arrived quickly and followed the pirate skiff in a helicopter. Navy sailors boarded the skiff and arrested the pirates, who threw their weapons into the sea.

The USS San Jacinto has detained 22 pirates so far in the last seven days. The pirates were turned over to Yemeni Naval Forces.

The American destroyer was is Grand Harbour some months ago.

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