A group of Vietnamese fishermen returned home to a central province yesterday after being detained for 50 days by Chinese authorities. One of their two trawlers, with 21 crew, arrived at Ly Son island in Quang Ngai province. Tran Hien, owner of the boat, said that they were given rice, salt and a compass to sail home by Chinese authorities who confiscated their fishing nets and five tonnes of fish they had caught. China's Xinhua news agency reported that Chinese authorities released them on April 20 after they "guaranteed in writing not to infringe on China's maritime rights in its territorial waters." The fishermen were seized on March 3 while fishing near the controversial Paracel islands. Vietamese authorities said they will work with Chinese authorities to release the other boat.
