CAIRO

Tunisian authorities on Tuesday released 14 Egyptian fishermen detained earlier this month for illegally fishing in Tunisian territorial waters. 

The Egyptian state press quoted Ambassador to Tunisia Nabil Habashi as saying that the owner of the fishing vessel -- along with another Egyptian -- was still being held by the Tunisian authorities.

"Fourteen fishermen have been deported to Cairo and deportation procedures are now underway for the remaining two," Habashi added.

On Jan. 12, the Tunisian navy seized the "Angel of the Sea", an Egyptian fishing vessel, off Tunisia’s southeastern coast and detained all 16 fishermen aboard.

Reporting by Mohamed Mahmoud; Writing by Ali H. M.Abo Rezeg