Copenhagen - The Danish navy responded Friday to a pirate attack on a freighter in the Gulf of Aden, a Royal Danish Navy spokesman said Saturday.

A freighter, registered in the Netherlands Antilles, reported it was being attacked by pirates, triggering a response from the navy.

A helicopter based on the Danish navy vessel Absalon fired warning shots at the pirate vessel. The freighter's crew also fired emergency flares at the pirates vessel. Those caught fire, forcing the five suspected pirates to jump into the sea.

The crew of the Absalon then rescued the suspected pirates from the sea and later sank the burning vessel to prevent possible danger to other ships. An investigation was pending into what whould happen to the five, the spokesman told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The Absalon has been deployed in the waters off Somalia since early September, patrolling international shipping lanes in the region. (dpa)