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| Version 17 | Version 18 |
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| British yachtsmen freed by Iran | British yachtsmen freed by Iran |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Five British yachtsmen held by Iran's Revolutionary Guard for a week have been released, the UK has confirmed. | Five British yachtsmen held by Iran's Revolutionary Guard for a week have been released, the UK 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 the men 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". Relatives have told of their relief. | |
| 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' |
| Luke Porter's parents say they are elated after news of his release | Luke Porter's parents say they are elated after news of his release |
| Iranian radio said the five had been freed at 0730 local time (0400 GMT). | 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 accidentally. | Iran's official IRNA news agency said they had been released after an interrogation by authorities established that their yacht had entered Iranian waters accidentally. |
| 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." |
| Mr Miliband told reporters it had been "a purely consular case" and said he was pleased that the matter had been dealt with in a "professional and straightforward way" by the Iranian authorities. | Mr Miliband told reporters it had been "a purely consular case" and said he was pleased that the matter had been dealt with in a "professional and straightforward way" by the Iranian authorities. |
| ANALYSIS By Jon Leyne, BBC Tehran correspondent I understand this release was agreed at the very highest level in Iran. | ANALYSIS By Jon Leyne, BBC Tehran correspondent I understand this release was agreed at the very highest level in Iran. |
| There is a high level of paranoia amongst some Iranian officials - they do worry that anybody in their territorial waters is spying. | There is a high level of paranoia amongst some Iranian officials - they do worry that anybody in their territorial waters is spying. |
| The moment you take to the waters in any kind of boat off the Iranian coast, you are liable to be swooped on. They have a natural inclination to believe, particularly, anyone British must be doing something devious. | The moment you take to the waters in any kind of boat off the Iranian coast, you are liable to be swooped on. They have a natural inclination to believe, particularly, anyone British must be doing something devious. |
| So the Iranians would have had to check that out. Then there is bound to have been a political calculation as well, over the question: "Is there any mileage in this for us?" | So the Iranians would have had to check that out. Then there is bound to have been a political calculation as well, over the question: "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 |
| He added: "Obviously there's been a real ordeal for the young men and for their families, and I'm really delighted that it's over for them and we can call the matter closed." | He added: "Obviously there's been a real ordeal for the young men and for their families, and I'm really delighted that it's over for them and we can call the matter closed." |
| The Prime Minister's spokesman said Gordon Brown had been kept closely informed of developments and was "pleased" that the yachtsmen had been released. | The Prime Minister's spokesman said Gordon Brown had been kept closely informed of developments and was "pleased" that the yachtsmen had been released. |
| "It was dealt with in a quiet, diplomatic way, which is entirely right, and the result is that the yachtsmen are free," the spokesman added. | "It was dealt with in a quiet, diplomatic way, which is entirely right, and the result is that the yachtsmen are free," the spokesman added. |
| 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". |
| 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." |
| Sam Usher's fiancee, Nicola Drayton, said the hardest part of the ordeal had been "not knowing where they are, not having contact with them". | Sam Usher's fiancee, Nicola Drayton, said the hardest part of the ordeal had been "not knowing where they are, not having contact with them". |
| She added: "We'll be very, very glad to get them home." | She added: "We'll be very, very glad to get them home." |
| Sam's mum Sue Stroud added that "there will be some tears of joy" when the crew return to the UK. | |
| In a statement, Oliver Smith's father, Edwin, of Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, said he was "tremendously relieved that this whole affair has been dealt with properly". | In a statement, Oliver Smith's father, Edwin, of Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, said he was "tremendously relieved that this whole affair has been dealt with properly". |
| 'Lightning-fast' | 'Lightning-fast' |
| The news comes hours after Mr Miliband spoke by phone to his Iranian counterpart. | The news comes hours after Mr 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. |
| Bahrain-based yachtsman David Bloomer is among those released | Bahrain-based yachtsman David Bloomer is among those released |
| 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. |