Captives returned home

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-11-3  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

THIRTEEN Chinese technicians and two translators returned to China yesterday after being held against their will for two weeks on three Russian fishing vessels.

The 15 Chinese from the Liuheng Shipping Factory, owned by the China Ocean Shipping Company, boarded the vessels for trial voyages from Zhoushan Port, Zhejiang Province, on October 20, said a China Maritime Safety Administration official.

However, the Russians were dissatisfied with the refitting and repair charges for the three vessels and failed to return on October 21 as agreed, said the official.

Chinese maritime authorities appealed to the Republic of Korea and Japan to locate the three ships. The ROK's maritime police located the ships and the CMSA ordered the COSCO vessel "Xinghua" to collect the men.

The group arrived at Zhoushan early yesterday. All were safe and well.

The CMSA has asked the agents of the three Russian ships, through China's Foreign Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Beijing, to return to China for an investigation.