Chennai: The Seychelles authorities have set free 51 Indian fishermen who were detained a fortnight ago on charges of violating their territorial waters. The released fishermen reportedly include six from southern Kerala. They are returning in a special flight organised by the Indian High Commission and are set to arrive late on Tuesday.
The skippers of the boats have not been released as they have to face prosecution.
The Seychelles Coast Guard had detained in all 58 fishermen from India on March 8.
The arrested fishermen had arrived on two boats. They had set out from Dathur in Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, and Poonthura in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
While the skippers of the boats were taken to prisons in Seychelles, the workers were held captive on the boats. The boats are reportedly owned by Soosainayakam and Antony.
Earlier, 33 fishermen who set sail from Kochi on three boats on February 22 were imprisoned by the Seychelles authorities.
The Seychelles Coast Guard is the maritime arm of the Seychelles People's Defence Force.
Seychelles is an island country in the Indian Ocean off East Africa.
