According to a BBC report, Falmouth Coastguard tipped off Somalian authorities after receiving a distress call from the 6,000-ton Greek-flagged freighter Princess Sarah at 0433 GMT on Monday, saying they were under fire from two speedboats off the coast of the East African state.

Falmouth Coastguard raised the alarm with Somalian officials, the French Army in Djibouti and the International Piracy Centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The pirates repeatedly demanded the ship be stopped so that they could board but the skipper was not for stopping. The speedboats finally gave up their attack after an hour’s chase.

“We are very pleased to have been able to help as far as possible,” an anonymous source at Falmouth Coastguard told the BBC, “and to alert all the relevant authorities. Our role in life is to look after seafarers.”