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Fifteen British sailors released by Iran after two weeks in detention left Tehran on Thursday on a flight back home to Britain, an AFP correspondent at the airport reported.
The correspondent watched the British Airways plane leave Tehran's Mehrabad airport at 8:38 am (5:08 GMT). The flight had been due to leave at 8:00 am.
The state IRNA agency reported that before leaving, the sailors were given gifts by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who had dramatically announced their release on Wednesday. It did not elaborate on the nature of the presents.
British ambassador Geoffrey Adams and other British diplomats were also at the airport to see off the 14 men and one woman.
The flight, which is operated by British Airways franchise partner British Mediterranean, is scheduled to touch down in London at midday (1100 GMT).
Their departure wraps up a rapid succession of events that began when Ahmadinejad on Wednesday abruptly deflated an international diplomatic crisis by pardoning them as a “gift” to the British people.
Friends and relatives of the captured sailors spent much of the night popping champagne corks in Britain after the surprise announcement by Ahmadinejad, later seen on state television chatting with the former prisoners.
“Although Iran has the right to prosecute them by following the model of the prophet the 15 people were pardoned and their freedom given as a gift to the British people,” Ahmadinejad said at a Tehran press conference.
His announcement was welcomed by Britain and governments across the world as well as jubilant relatives of the captives, some of whom had been paraded on state television “confessing” to trespassing in Iranian waters.
The eight sailors and seven marines were seized at gunpoint while patrolling the northern Gulf on March 23 and Iran had long insisted the key to ending the crisis was a British admission they had violated its territorial waters.
The standoff had further damaged ties between Tehran and the West already frayed by Iran's controversial nuclear programme, and had sent jitters through world oil and financial markets.
On Wednesday, the group met Britain's ambassador to Tehran after having been denied consular access during their detention, a Foreign Office spokesman told AFP in London.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed the release and thanked “our friends and allies in the region who played their part” amid reports Syria and Qatar helped bring about a peaceful resolution.
He said Britain, which took the issue to the UN Security Council last week, had taken a “firm but calm” approach, “not negotiating but not confronting either”.
In London, the press said their liberation was a victory for old-fashioned diplomacy.
The families of the detainees erupted in joy and relief at the news, which came after 13 days of a sometimes heated propaganda war.
“We've been absolutely devastated these last 13 days, it's been the longest of my life. I'm just so happy today,” said April Rawsthorne, grandmother of 21-year-old Nathan Summers, clutching a bottle of champagne.
Iranian state media said the 15 had “shouted for joy” on news of their release.
“We are grateful for your forgiveness,” one sailor was heard telling Ahmadinejad, who in turn wished them good luck. The men were wearing suits while the sole woman captive, Faye Turney, was in trousers and a headscarf.
The BBC broadcast footage originally aired by Iranian television following Ahmadinejad's announcement showing Turney telling an interviewer that the sailors “apologise for our actions, but many thanks for having it in your hearts to let us go free.”
However, Iran's hardline president — who saved his dramatic announcement until nearly the end of the press conference — still lashed out at Britain over its handling of the crisis and decorated a Revolutionary Guards commander who had seized the Britons.
“The British government, in a letter, has vowed not to repeat such incidents. But this release is not linked to this letter. It is due to Islamic goodwill,” he said.
His announcement came after Iran had applauded a “change of tone” from Britain following talks between top security official Ali Larijani and Blair's chief foreign policy advisor Sir Nigel Sheinwald on Tuesday.
Syria — Iran's top ally in the region — had announced it was mediating in the crisis after a call from Sheinwald.
Britain maintains the group was carrying out routine anti-smuggling operations in Iraqi waters in line with a UN mandate, but Iran says the sailors' Global Positioning System (GPS) devices show they intruded on Iranian waters.
US President George W. Bush welcomed the release of the Britons but Washington denied any link to the sudden granting of consular access to five Iranian officials held in Iraq for allegedly stoking unrest.
The crisis had come at a perilous time for Iran's relations with the West, with the United States refusing to rule out military action over its nuclear drive and the United Nations imposing tough new sanctions.
