The British trawler that was detained by France during the post-Brexit fishing row has been released by the French authorities.
The Scottish-registered scallop dredger Cornelis Gert Jan left the northern French port of Le Havre on Wednesday evening.
The trawler's owner, Macduff Shellfish, said it was "delighted" that the crew and vessel could return home.
French authorities held the boat last week, saying it did not have a licence.
Menna Rawlings, the UK's ambassador to France, welcomed the news, tweeting: "Glad to hear the Cornelis is free to leave Le Havre and that the Brits on board are on their way home tonight."
The dispute over post-Brexit fishing licences flared up last month, after the UK and Jersey denied fishing permits to several French boats.
France then threatened a series of measures against the UK unless more licences were granted by 2 November.
But French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the threats at the 11th hour ahead of more talks between UK and French ministers on Thursday.
Earlier, the trawler's skipper Jondy Ward told the BBC they had been "caught in the middle" of the political row.
Mr Ward faces trial in France next August regardless of Wednesday's court's ruling that the boat can be released, but the charges could be dropped before then.
תגובות