The Foreign Office confirmed last night five British sailors, onboard the racing yacht Kingdom of Bahrain, were stopped by Iranian naval vessels on Sunday.
The yacht, belonging to the UK's Team Pindar, was travelling from Bahrain to Dubai in the Dubai-Muscat offshore sailing race and is thought to have 'strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters'.
A statement from the FCO said all five crew members - named as Luke Porter, Oliver Smith, David Bloomer, Oliver Young and Sam Usher - were still being held in Iran.
Commenting on the ongoing diplomatic incident, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie, aide to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is quoted by the Fars news agency as saying: 'Judiciary will decide about the five... naturally our measures will be hard and serious if we find out they had evil intentions.'
Revealing he first heard of the incident on Sunday night, foreign secretary David Miliband said in a statement: 'FCO officials immediately contacted the Iranian authorities in London and in Tehran on the evening of November 25th, both to seek clarification and to try and resolve the matter swiftly.
'Our ambassador in Tehran has raised the issue with the Iranian foreign ministry and we have discussed the matter with the Iranian embassy in London. I hope this issue will soon be resolved.
'We will remain in close touch with the Iranian authorities, as well as the families.'
Speaking later he added there was clearly no confrontation or aggression on the part of the five sailors and said he expected a statement from the Iranian authorities later.
Reports suggest the Foreign Office had wanted to keep the incident 'private' to increase the chances of a resolution but after five days the details emerged forcing officials to confirm the event.
Officials for the Dubai-Muscat offshore sailing race said the boat may have veered off course after propeller problems.
Team Pindar released a statement yesterday confirming the five crew members had been captured.
'On November 25th, Sail Bahrain's Kingdom of Bahrain Volvo 60 racing yacht was stopped by Iranian navy vessels, as it was making its way from Bahrain to the start of the Dubai-Muscat offshore sailing race. The boat may have strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters,' the team announced.
'The five crew members, all British nationals, are still in Iran. All are understood to be safe and well and their families have been informed.'
The yacht, belonging to the UK's Team Pindar, was travelling from Bahrain to Dubai in the Dubai-Muscat offshore sailing race and is thought to have 'strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters'.
A statement from the FCO said all five crew members - named as Luke Porter, Oliver Smith, David Bloomer, Oliver Young and Sam Usher - were still being held in Iran.
Commenting on the ongoing diplomatic incident, Esfandiar Rahim-Mashaie, aide to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is quoted by the Fars news agency as saying: 'Judiciary will decide about the five... naturally our measures will be hard and serious if we find out they had evil intentions.'
Revealing he first heard of the incident on Sunday night, foreign secretary David Miliband said in a statement: 'FCO officials immediately contacted the Iranian authorities in London and in Tehran on the evening of November 25th, both to seek clarification and to try and resolve the matter swiftly.
'Our ambassador in Tehran has raised the issue with the Iranian foreign ministry and we have discussed the matter with the Iranian embassy in London. I hope this issue will soon be resolved.
'We will remain in close touch with the Iranian authorities, as well as the families.'
Speaking later he added there was clearly no confrontation or aggression on the part of the five sailors and said he expected a statement from the Iranian authorities later.
Reports suggest the Foreign Office had wanted to keep the incident 'private' to increase the chances of a resolution but after five days the details emerged forcing officials to confirm the event.
Officials for the Dubai-Muscat offshore sailing race said the boat may have veered off course after propeller problems.
Team Pindar released a statement yesterday confirming the five crew members had been captured.
'On November 25th, Sail Bahrain's Kingdom of Bahrain Volvo 60 racing yacht was stopped by Iranian navy vessels, as it was making its way from Bahrain to the start of the Dubai-Muscat offshore sailing race. The boat may have strayed inadvertently into Iranian waters,' the team announced.
'The five crew members, all British nationals, are still in Iran. All are understood to be safe and well and their families have been informed.'
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