Egyptian court acquits six Indian seamen

CAIRO: An Egyptian court has acquitted six Indian seamen detained in Egypt since last year, less than three months after diplomatic efforts were initiated to seek their release.

"Six Indian seamen cleared of all charges by Hurghada court in Egypt. Going home after 19 months. Best Diwali gift!" Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Indian Ambassador to Egypt, tweeted yesterday.

Hurghada is a beach resort town stretching along Egypt's Red Sea coast.

During her maiden visit to Egypt in August as External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj had sought her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry's intervention for securing the early release of the six seamen who were detained since February, 2014.

However, no details of the arrested seamen were available, neither was information related to circumstances of their arrest.