2010-09-13 09:53

TOKYO -- Pirates boarded a Japanese auto transport ship and robbed its crew off Indonesia late on Friday, but no one was injured and the undamaged ship resumed its voyage, Japanese media quoted the transport ministry as saying.

The incident comes at a time over heightened concerns over ship safety after a vessel owned by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines was damaged near the Strait of Hormuz in July by a suspected explosion.

Pirates boarded the ship named Cheerleader, operated by Japan's Nippon Yusen KK, tied up members of the crew, stole money and fled while it was sailing off the Indonesian province of Kalimantan in the island of Borneo.  The 19 crew were unharmed.

This is the 10th pirate attack on ships operated or owned by a Japanese company so far this year. The tanker was heading to Jakarta from Japan's Kobe, Sankei newspaper said.