Freed British Navy crew on way home

Press Association: The 15, whose release from nearly two weeks in Iranian captivity was announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday, had arrived at the airport in a convoy of cars that drove directly to the presidential VIP section of the airport. Press Association

The British sailors and Marines detained by Iran have left Tehran on a flight to London.

The 15, whose release from nearly two weeks in Iranian captivity was announced by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Wednesday, had arrived at the airport in a convoy of cars that drove directly to the presidential VIP section of the airport.

The crew boarded the British Airways flight that left the Mehrabad International Airport at about 8.30am local time.

The British crew sat in business class on the flight.

British ambassador to Iran Geoffrey Adams, who was at the airport, declined to comment.

Mr Adams was given access to the personnel on Wednesday night for the first time since they were seized on March 23.

Before boarding, the sailors received gifts given to them on President Ahmadinejad’s behalf, Iran’s state-run news agency, IRNA, reported.

Mr Ahmadinejad unexpectedly used a news conference in Tehran on Wednesday to theatrically announce that he was pardoning the 15 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines as “a gift to the British people”.

Iran continued its attempts to humiliate Britain by parading fresh pictures of the detainees being interviewed after their release, the latest in a series of stage-managed appearances.

News of their release was greeted with relief and jubilation by the families of the detainees, while Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was “glad” that they were being freed.