Sri Lanka, Oct. 26 -- Six Sri Lankan sailors, who were detained in Eritrea for a year, have returned home following high-level diplomatic interventions led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath.

The sailors were aboard a European vessel operated by Seagull Maritime, under an Azerbaijani Captain, when the ship entered Eritrean waters. They were detained by the Eritrean authorities on November 7, 2024, and remained in custody for the next 12 months.

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Cairo coordinated closely with Eritrean authorities to facilitate their release during their detention. The six sailors, who have also served in the Sri Lankan Security Forces, arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) yesterday. They were receiv...