The eight British servicemen held in Iran since Monday have been released, the UK Foreign Office has said.
The six Royal Marines and two sailors have boarded a plane with British diplomats on their way to Tehran.
The men were seized in the Shatt al-Arab waterway, where they were training the Iraqi river patrol service.
British officials have said that the men may have mistakenly "strayed" over the maritime border.
The officials joined the group on a plane as the men were moved from the Gulf area to Tehran. It is thought they will go to the British embassy in the capital but it is not known when they will return to the United Kingdom.
There had been hopes that they would be released Wednesday, but the on-off plans for the handover appeared to have hit a last-minute hitch. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
