SAN FRANCISCO, January 13, (THEWILL) – The 10 American sailors captured by Iran have been freed, U.S. and Iranian officials said.
The sailors were captured Tuesday after their two naval boats entered Iranian waters near Farsi Island, in the Persian Gulf.
The wait for the sailors’ release Wednesday morning dragged on for hours, with Iranian officials interrogating the sailors about their motives and demanding a U.S. apology.
“The evidence suggests that they unintentionally entered the Iranian waters because of the failure of their navigational system,” Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) spokesman, Ramazan Sharif said.
So on Wednesday afternoon, the sailors travelled on their two boats to a rendezvous point in the Persian Gulf, a U.S. official said. They were escorted by Iranian boats, which turned back when they reached the rendezvous point in international waters.
The sailors then boarded the guided missile cruiser USS Anzio, where they were undergoing medical checks Wednesday.
“There are no indications that the Sailors were harmed during their brief detention,” the U.S. Navy said in a statement.
The Navy said it will investigate how the sailors ended up in Iranian territory.
Secretary of State John Kerry expressed “gratitude to Iranian authorities for their cooperation in swiftly resolving this matter,” in a statement Wednesday.
“As a former Sailor myself, I know the importance of naval presence around the world and the critical work being done by our Navy in the Gulf region,” he said, adding later, “That this issue was resolved peacefully and efficiently is a testament to the critical role diplomacy plays in keeping our country safe, secure, and strong.”
The capture of the sailors came days before the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers is expected to go into force. The deal freezes Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for lifting sanctions against Iran.
Story by David Opuah
