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| Version 15 | Version 16 |
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| British yachtsmen freed by Iran | British yachtsmen freed by Iran |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Five British yachtsmen held by Iran's Revolutionary Guard for a week have been released, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office has confirmed. | Five British yachtsmen held by Iran's Revolutionary Guard for a week have been released, the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office has confirmed. |
| The crew are said to have drifted into Iranian waters mistakenly while sailing from Bahrain to Dubai for a race. | The crew are said to have drifted into Iranian waters mistakenly while sailing from Bahrain to Dubai for a race. |
| Foreign Secretary David Miliband said they had left the island of Siri and were heading for international waters. | |
| A statement by the Revolutionary Guard said interrogations had revealed their "illegal entry" had been "a mistake". | A statement by the Revolutionary Guard said interrogations had revealed their "illegal entry" had been "a mistake". |
| Luke Porter, 21, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, Oliver Smith, 31, from Southampton, Oliver Young, 21, from Saltash, Cornwall, Sam Usher, 26, from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and Bahrain-based David Bloomer, who is believed to be in his 60s, were held on 25 November. | Luke Porter, 21, from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, Oliver Smith, 31, from Southampton, Oliver Young, 21, from Saltash, Cornwall, Sam Usher, 26, from Scarborough, North Yorkshire, and Bahrain-based David Bloomer, who is believed to be in his 60s, were held on 25 November. |
| A Foreign Office statement said: "We understand that they are being towed to international waters and will be met by a representative from the sailing company." | A Foreign Office statement said: "We understand that they are being towed to international waters and will be met by a representative from the sailing company." |
| 'Very relieved' | 'Very relieved' |
| Iranian radio said the five had been freed at 0730 local time (0400 GMT). | |
| Iran's official IRNA news agency said they had been released after an interrogation by authorities established that their yacht had entered Iranian waters "by mistake". | |
| Sailor Oliver Young's father, David, said: "We're very relieved" | Sailor Oliver Young's father, David, said: "We're very relieved" |
| A statement by Iran's Revolutionary Guard said: "After carrying out an investigation and interrogation of the five British sailors, it became clear that their illegal entry was a mistake. | A statement by Iran's Revolutionary Guard said: "After carrying out an investigation and interrogation of the five British sailors, it became clear that their illegal entry was a mistake. |
| "After obtaining necessary guarantees, it was decided to release them." | "After obtaining necessary guarantees, it was decided to release them." |
| Beverley Porter, Luke's mother, praised the hard work of the Foreign Office and offered "grateful thanks to Iran for seeing it as it was - just human error". | Beverley Porter, Luke's mother, praised the hard work of the Foreign Office and offered "grateful thanks to Iran for seeing it as it was - just human error". |
| She added: "The boys never meant to be there in the first place. | She added: "The boys never meant to be there in the first place. |
| "Thankfully, Iran have seen it that way." | "Thankfully, Iran have seen it that way." |
| Her husband Charles said he believed his son "will have done very well, he will have held it together and been very strong". | Her husband Charles said he believed his son "will have done very well, he will have held it together and been very strong". |
| David Young, Oliver's father, said he was "very relieved, obviously". | David Young, Oliver's father, said he was "very relieved, obviously". |
| David Bloomer's wife said she had received no verification of his release | David Bloomer's wife said she had received no verification of his release |
| He added: "We thought this would be over quickly, and this is what we were hoping for." | He added: "We thought this would be over quickly, and this is what we were hoping for." |
| Simon Drayton, brother of Sam Usher's fiancee, Nicola Drayton, added: "We are frantically trying to find out if it is true or not. We hope to God it is." | Simon Drayton, brother of Sam Usher's fiancee, Nicola Drayton, added: "We are frantically trying to find out if it is true or not. We hope to God it is." |
| Andrew Pindar from Team Pindar, which was due to race the yacht the men were taken in, told the BBC that he was hopeful the reports were accurate. | Andrew Pindar from Team Pindar, which was due to race the yacht the men were taken in, told the BBC that he was hopeful the reports were accurate. |
| He said: "I've had a call from Dubai this morning which suggests that the Iranian news release probably is true. | He said: "I've had a call from Dubai this morning which suggests that the Iranian news release probably is true. |
| "I don't want to get carried away because until we see them safely in international waters it would be premature to count our blessings, but it does sound like they're on their way to safety." | "I don't want to get carried away because until we see them safely in international waters it would be premature to count our blessings, but it does sound like they're on their way to safety." |
| 'Lightning-fast' | 'Lightning-fast' |
| The news comes hours after UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband spoke by phone to his Iranian counterpart. | The news comes hours after UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband spoke by phone to his Iranian counterpart. |
| The five were detained after the Revolutionary Guard stopped their Volvo 60 yacht, called The Kingdom of Bahrain, in the Gulf on 25 November. | The five were detained after the Revolutionary Guard stopped their Volvo 60 yacht, called The Kingdom of Bahrain, in the Gulf on 25 November. |
| The BBC's Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne said the investigation had been "lightning-fast" by Iranian standards. | The BBC's Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne said the investigation had been "lightning-fast" by Iranian standards. |
| BBC Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne | BBC Tehran correspondent Jon Leyne |
| This was agreed at the very highest level in Iran. | This was agreed at the very highest level in Iran. |
| To be fair to them, they are very paranoid - they do worry that anybody in their territorial waters is spying. | To be fair to them, they are very paranoid - they do worry that anybody in their territorial waters is spying. |
| They swoop on you the moment you go out in a rowing boat off the Iranian coast. They have a natural inclination to believe, particularly, anyone British must be doing something devious. | They swoop on you the moment you go out in a rowing boat off the Iranian coast. They have a natural inclination to believe, particularly, anyone British must be doing something devious. |
| They would have had to check that out, and then they would have had to do a political calculation: "Is there any mileage in this for us?" | They would have had to check that out, and then they would have had to do a political calculation: "Is there any mileage in this for us?" |
| Obviously they have decided there is not. Profile of seized British sailors | Obviously they have decided there is not. Profile of seized British sailors |
| The Team Pindar-backed yacht was sailing from Bahrain to Dubai to take part in the Dubai-Muscat Offshore Race. | The Team Pindar-backed yacht was sailing from Bahrain to Dubai to take part in the Dubai-Muscat Offshore Race. |
| The 360-nautical mile Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Race began on 26 November and ended two days later in the Omani capital's Bandar Al-Rawdah marina. | The 360-nautical mile Dubai-Muscat Offshore Sailing Race began on 26 November and ended two days later in the Omani capital's Bandar Al-Rawdah marina. |
| Race organisers said the five could have been "drifting" as a result of propeller problems. | Race organisers said the five could have been "drifting" as a result of propeller problems. |
| The Kingdom of Bahrain yacht is owned by the Sail Bahrain project, which aims to promote the island as a yachting destination and was recently launched by Team Pindar. | The Kingdom of Bahrain yacht is owned by the Sail Bahrain project, which aims to promote the island as a yachting destination and was recently launched by Team Pindar. |
| Team Pindar is owned by G A Pindar & Son Ltd, a family owned print and publishing business based in Scarborough. | Team Pindar is owned by G A Pindar & Son Ltd, a family owned print and publishing business based in Scarborough. |
| It is not the first time British sailors have been detained after being accused of straying into Iranian waters. | It is not the first time British sailors have been detained after being accused of straying into Iranian waters. |
| In March 2007 there was a prolonged stand-off between the UK and Iran after a 15-strong Royal Navy crew was detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. | In March 2007 there was a prolonged stand-off between the UK and Iran after a 15-strong Royal Navy crew was detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guard. |
| And in 2004, eight British servicemen were held in Iran after being seized in the Shatt al-Arab waterway, where they were training the Iraqi river patrol service. | And in 2004, eight British servicemen were held in Iran after being seized in the Shatt al-Arab waterway, where they were training the Iraqi river patrol service. |
| IRAN'S MARITIME CLAIMS In 1993 Iran informed the UN of its claims over a territorial sea, a contiguous zone and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending to the continental shelf. Territorial sea: Iran claims sovereignty over a belt of sea, measured 12 nautical miles from its baseline. This extends to the air space above it as well as to its bed and subsoil.Contiguous zone: An area adjacent to the territorial sea with an outer limit of 24 nautical miles from the baseline. The Iranian government claims the right to take steps to prevent the infringement of laws and regulations.EEZ and the continental shelf boundary: Within the EEZ, which extends out to the continental shelf line, Iran claims exclusive rights to all natural resources, research and the building of structures. Source: Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, US Department of State | IRAN'S MARITIME CLAIMS In 1993 Iran informed the UN of its claims over a territorial sea, a contiguous zone and an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending to the continental shelf. Territorial sea: Iran claims sovereignty over a belt of sea, measured 12 nautical miles from its baseline. This extends to the air space above it as well as to its bed and subsoil.Contiguous zone: An area adjacent to the territorial sea with an outer limit of 24 nautical miles from the baseline. The Iranian government claims the right to take steps to prevent the infringement of laws and regulations.EEZ and the continental shelf boundary: Within the EEZ, which extends out to the continental shelf line, Iran claims exclusive rights to all natural resources, research and the building of structures. Source: Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, US Department of State |