File photo: A group of Egyptian fishermen (Photo :Al-Ahram)
Thirteen fishermen who were detained in Tunisia for almost a month for trespassing and illegal fishing returned home Saturday, a security source told the MENA state news agency.
Egypt’s foreign affairs ministry had been in talks with its Tunisian counterpart to release the fishermen since they were captured near Sfax port.
It was announced last week that the fishermen were freed.
Airport security will question the 13 fishermen before they are allowed to enter the country.
The returned 13 are part of a 16-person ship crew. Three others are scheduled to return within the next few hours, the source added.
This is one of the latest incidents involving Egyptian fishermen arrested in the territorial waters of neighbouring countries like Sudan, Libya and Tunisia.
Egypt’s foreign ministry has repeatedly intervened in these cases to ensure the release of the fishermen and warned against trespassing in foreign waters.
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