british sailors « The Irate Nation

Five British sailors are expected to return home

Five British sailors who accidentally strayed into Iranian territorial waters are expected to return home to their families today.

David Bloomer, Oliver Smith, Oliver Young, Sam Usher and Luke Porter were released by Iran on Wednesday after being held for a week.

They said it was "very tense" to start with as they were questioned on suspicion of being spies, but were "treated very well" by their guards.

Iran seizes five British sailors

clipped from www.timesonline.co.uk

Diplomatic tension between Britain and Iran deepened yesterday with the news
that Tehran is holding five British sailors after their yacht apparently
strayed into Iranian waters.

The seized yacht, a 60ft Volvo, is owned by Sail Bahrain, a personal project
of King Hamad of Bahrain to promote his country’s seafaring ancestry. It had
only recently arrived from Southampton and was competing in Sail Bahrain’s
first offshore race.

“The boat may have strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters. The five crew
members, all British nationals, are still in Iran. All are understood to be
safe and well and their families have been informed.”