It seems to me like it is an assumption that if you weren't sailing under any flag that no one would come to your aid in an emergency. They may not be obligate

It seems to me like it is an assumption that if you weren't sailing under any flag that no one would come to your aid in an emergency. They may not be obligated to, but unless you were doing something that a country really, really didn't like, and it was generally known you were doing it, I think that most vessels that pick up your distress call would likely respond. I could be wrong. Are there any recent historical events that might help predict future outcomes?