Pirates rob tanker as attacks rise in South China Sea

Pirates robbed a Japanese chemical tanker in the South China Sea on Sunday amid a "serious escalation" of attacks, a maritime watchdog said on Monday.

The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) said pirates armed with knives and steel rods boarded the ship off Mangkai Island in Indonesia last week, stole cash and belongings and fled. The ship was sailing from Singapore to China and none of its 23 crew were hurt. (Reuters)