Pirates captured aboard oil tanker

US commandos have captured four suspected pirates who boarded a Japanese-owned oil tanker off the coast of Oman.

The international anti-piracy task force says the 24 crew members on the MV Guanabara took refuge in a protected part of the vessel on Saturday after reporting they were under attack.

A special unit from the destroyer USS Bulkeley boarded the tanker yesterday and detained the suspected pirates about 328 nautical miles south-east of Duqm in southern Oman.

No shots were fired and the ship's crew was not harmed.