Egypt to release six Indian seamen

Cairo: An Egyptian court has ordered the release of six Indian seamen who were detained in February last year after clearing them of all charges.

"Six Indian seamen cleared of all charges by Hurgada court today in Egypt. Going home after 19 months. Best Diwali gift!," India's Ambassador to Egypt, Sanjay Bhattacharyya, tweeted on Tuesday evening.

Hurgada is a Red Sea beach resort.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, during her visit to Egypt in August, had sought her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Hassan Shoukry's intervention for securing the release of the six Indian seamen.

Details of the circumstances under which the six were detained are not available yet.

Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi visited India in October to take part in the third India-Africa Forum Summit.

(IANS)