A Sierra Leone cargo ship with 32 Chinese onboard threw off the pursuit of four pirate boats in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, the China Maritime Search and Rescue Center said on Monday.

The ship was carrying more than 10,000 tons of silicate and oil equipment from Singapore to the Republic of Djibouti in northeastern Africa when it met with the pirates, the center said in a statement.

Four pirate boats chased the vessel on the eastern water area of the gulf at 3:50 PM on Monday, with their speed reaching 19 nautical miles per hour, said the center.

The Ministry of Transport immediately launched an emergency response plan and contacted the International Maritime Bureau to seek aid from nearby warships. The cargo ship was found secure at 4:20 PM.

(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2009)