( CNN ) -- Seven suspected pirates rescued by a Danish warship were turned over to authorities in Yemen early Friday , two days after they were picked up in the pirate-plagued Gulf of Aden . The French frigate Nivose escorts commercial ships in the Gulf of Aden on November 28 , 2008 . The men were rescued by the HDMS Absalon on Wednesday after being found in a powerless skiff with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s aboard , Danish Navy spokesman Jesper Lynge told CNN . They were found approximately 75 nautical miles ( 140 km ) off the coast of Yemen following a distress call , Lynge said . `` These guys had been without propulsion on their small boat for several days without food or drinking water , '' he added . After receiving medical treatment aboard the Absalon , the ship 's crew turned them over to Yemen 's coast guard Friday morning , said Rasmus Tantholt , a reporter for Denmark 's TV2 , who was aboard the warship . The skiff 's small engine was broken , and the Danish vessel sank the boat in order to prevent any hazard to sea traffic . Watch how NATO is fighting piracy » . The men are suspected to be pirates because of the weapons on board , Lynge said . Pirates frequently use small boats to attack commercial vessels with small arms and grenades , but Lynge said Absalon crew could not connect the men `` directly with another pirate attack in the area , '' Lynge said . Lynge said the skiff was found in Yemeni waters , and the Absalon crew was instructed to hand over the men to the Yemen Coast Guard . Yemeni authorities must conduct any investigation because the episode took place in their jurisdiction , he said . CNN was unable to obtain an immediate comment from Yemeni authorities . Pirates have seized many ships in recent weeks in the waters of the Gulf of Aden , which separates Yemen from Somalia . So far this year , pirates have attacked almost 100 vessels off the coast of Somalia and successfully hijacked nearly 40 , according to the International Maritime Bureau . A multinational fleet , including vessels from the United States , NATO member states , Russia and India , has been patrolling waters of Indian Ocean near the Gulf , which connects the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea . Around 20,000 oil tankers , freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route each year . CNN 's Katy Byron contributed to this report .
nearly 40 Yemeni men in possession of rocket grenades and AK-47 guns rescued . Danish Navy ship picked them up in the pirate-plagued the Gulf of Aden . The patrol craft responded to a small skiff 's calls for assistance off Somali coast . Ship 's crew instructed to hand over the men to Danish Navy .