Somali pirates.The 56,000-tonne bulk carrier Montecristo was hijacked 620 miles (1,000 miles) off Somalia on Monday by pirates, according to the owners.
Italia's foreign ministry said that 11 pirates had been jugged and the 23-man crew had been released.
The UK's Ministry of Defence said the Royal Navy had boarded the ship and met no resistance.
"Argh! Real Marines! We quit!"
Members of the crew - from Italia, India and Ukraine - are said to be doing well.
Italia's foreign ministry expressed "great satisfaction" with the operation to save the D'Alessio Group-owned cargo ship.
The UK's MoD said the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Fort Victoria and a US frigate were sent to help the seized vessel.
An MoD spokesperson said: "We can confirm that late this morning the RFA Fort Victoria, currently on NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A collection of multinational and multilingual and multicultural armed forces, all of differing capabilities, working toward a common goal by pulling in different directions...
counter piracy operations east of Suez, responded to calls to assist a pirated Italian merchant ship, the MV Montecristo, along with an American navy frigate.
"Due to the presence of the warships, 11 suspected pirates on-board the pirated vessel surrendered without force."
"Put one across her bows, Mister Gridley!"
"Aye aye, sir!"
[KABOOM!]
"Heh. Didn't like having his hair parted by an 8-incher, did he, Mister Gridley?"
"Heh. No sir."
"An inch lower next time if they don't strike!"
"Heh! Aye aye, sir!"
Monsoon season
Somali pirates are known to capture vessels in the Indian Ocean in the hope of obtaining a ransom for the safe return of crew members.
They are also believed to have captured Judith Tebbutt, a 56-year-old woman from Hertfordshire, in September. Her husband David was shot in front of her at a remote beach resort on the north Kenyan coast.
And in 2010, Paul and Rachel Chandler from Tunbridge Wells, were released after being held captive for more than a year.
The BBC's world affairs correspondent Mike Woolridge said: "There are a number of international naval vessels trying to keep a watch over a very, very large area of the ocean."
He said pirates were attacking vessels further afield than Somalia by using "mother ships" from which they launch smaller vessels.
"All the expectations are that we will see more of this in the coming weeks and months because the monsoon season has ended and over the last two or three years this has been the time when hijackings rise," our correspondent added.
Somalia has been racked by fighting between various militias for two decades, so weapons are widely available and there are many gangs who could be responsible.