LONDON - Four Britons held for a week in Iranian custody after their yacht strayed into Iran's waters returned home on Friday and thanked everyone who helped to get them freed.

Skipper Oliver Smith said they had been well treated during their detention and they were keen to return to sailing.

He offered a massive thank-you to everyone who helped sort the situation out.

Smith and crewmates Luke Porter, Sam Usher and Oliver Young men flew into London's Heathrow airport from Dubai at around 7 a.m. A fifth member of the crew, journalist David Bloomer, returned to his base in Bahrain on Thursday.

They fed us very well while we were there, they did look after us well, he told reporters at Heathrow.

We are hoping to get back out to the Gulf, get the boat fixed up and start racing again.

Their release on Wednesday averted a diplomatic row with Britain on top of Iran's disputes with the West over its nuclear programme.

Britain had stressed the men were civilians and Iran said it had concluded they had entered its waters by mistake.

The five men were detained on November 25 after drifting into Iranian waters in light winds after a problem with their engine's propeller.

They had been on their way from Bahrain to take part in a yacht race in Dubai.
(Reporting by Tim Castle; editing by Keith Weir)

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