AP News, June 10th, 2007
Three Finnish men seized by Iran while on a fishing trip last week have returned Saturday to the United Arab Emirates, where they live, the company that employs them said.
The men, who work for Nokia Siemens Networks in Dubai, were on a weekend jaunt near the disputed island of Abu Musa when they "apparently mistakenly navigated into Iranian waters" and were arrested, said company spokesman Barry French.
He said they were treated well in detention, and Iran was unlikely to bring charges.
"The men were released on Wednesday but were stuck on the island of Abu Musa because of a tropical storm," French said. "They returned today, and are in good spirits."
Abu Musa, a Persian Gulf island, is claimed by both Iran and the United Arab Emirates.
The men were in touch with their families while they were being held, said French. He declined to give any personal details, in line with their requests.
Following the arrests, the Finnish Foreign Ministry revised its advisory on the Persian Gulf, saying that travel near Abu Musa and other islands in the region should be avoided.
The ministry, which contacted Iranian officials soon after the men were seized, gave few details about negotiations for their release. But Iranian Embassy officials in Helsinki said last week that they expected the men to be freed quickly because of the Nordic country's good relations with Iran.
In March, Iranian Revolutionary Guards detained 15 British sailors and marines after seizing their ship in what Iran claimed were its waters in the Persian Gulf. Britain insisted the crew was in Iraqi waters at the time. The 15 were released after nearly two weeks in captivity.
A British couple and an Australian man were released last year after being held in Iran for 13 days after their sailing boat strayed into Iranian waters near Abu Musa.
In November 2005, Iranian officials arrested a Frenchman and a German during a sailing trip, purportedly for taking photos of ships in the Persian Gulf. The men were released this year.
