Egypt has secured the release of nine Egyptian fishermen whose boat was detained in Saudi Arabia for three weeks after it entered the kingdom's territorial waters by mistake, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday, November 7.

The fishing vessel Mohamed Abu al-Azaim was held in the Tabuk region, on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast, after entering Saudi waters without the required authorisation on October 16, the ministry said. The boat and its crew of nine were held for 22 days.

The ministry confirmed that the vessel had left Tabuk with all nine Egyptian crew members on board and was heading back to Egypt, after being supplied with fuel, food and other provisions for the return journey, Xinhua reported from Cairo.

Consulate in Jeddah worked on the release

Egypt's consulate in Jeddah had been in intensive contact with Saudi coast guard and port authorities since the detention, the ministry said in its earlier announcement on October 26. A consulate delegate visited the nine sailors to check on their condition while the procedures for their return were completed.

The ministry attributed Saturday's release to cooperation with the Saudi authorities and said protecting Egyptians working abroad remains a priority — a familiar concern across the Gulf and the Red Sea, where lakhs of foreign workers, including many Indians and Punjabis, earn their living at sea and on shore.

Warning to fishermen

The Foreign Ministry again urged Egyptian fishermen and vessel operators to comply with maritime navigation and fishing regulations and to avoid entering the territorial waters of neighbouring countries without obtaining the necessary permits, to avoid legal action.

The ministry's statement did not specify whether any fines were imposed on the boat's owner or its crew. No injuries to the nine sailors were reported in either the October or the November statements.

Sources: Egyptian Foreign Ministry statement reported by Xinhua on November 7, 2026, and reporting by Zawia3 and AfroNews on the ministry's November 7 and October 26 statements.