On Saturday, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that the fishing vessel Mohamed Abu al‑Azaim and its nine crew had been released from detention in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk region and were set to return to Egypt. The sailors had been held after the boat mistakenly entered Saudi territorial waters on 16 Oct, according to the ministry.
Xinhua reports that the release followed diplomatic talks, and that the vessel left Tabuk carrying all nine Egyptian fishermen with fuel, food and other supplies needed for their safe return. The ministry urged fishermen to observe maritime navigation and fishing regulations to avoid such incidents in the future.
The Egyptian Gazette echoed the same facts, noting that the boat had departed Tabuk carrying its crew and was en route back to Egypt after having been provided with fuel, food and all necessary supplies. The Gazette added that the ministry had appealed to fishing operators to obtain required permits when entering neighbouring territorial waters and to comply with safety regulations.
