11 Iranian Sailors Repatriated after Release from Indian Prison
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Consul-General in the Indian city of Hyderabad Hassan Nourian announced that a number of Iranian sailors recently detained in southern India were released and flown back to the country on Friday.
Nourian told the Islamic Republic News Agency that the sailors left India’s Cochin Airport for Dubai, and will leave the Arab city for Imam Khomeini International Airport in Tehran at 18:00 (local time).
An Indian court had earlier ruled that 10 sailors be released, the Iranian official said, adding that in a Monday meeting with the judge, it was decided that the boat’s captain is also released by paying some fine.
Nourian also pointed to the release of the fishing boat, noting that it has technical problems for now, and will be delivered to its owner once the problems are fixed.
The Iranian sailors were freed thanks to the efforts made by Iran’s consulate in Hyderabad and the embassy in New Delhi, he went on to say.
The fishing ship was stopped and captured on July 5, 2015, with 12 crew on board near Kerala in southern India. The sailors had all been transferred to prison.