Iran TV shows footage of UK sailors

Faye Turney, 26, the only woman among the British navy personnel seized by Iran, appears on Iranian state-run television yesterday. The footage was broadcast by Al-Alam, an Arabic-language channel. AP

TEHERAN: Iran yesterday broadcast the first pictures of the 15 British sailors and marines who were seized last week, including a female captive who wore a white tunic and a black head scarf and said the British boats had "trespassed" in Iranian waters.

Britain immediately protested the airing of the footage, saying it was "completely unacceptable for these pictures to be shown on television".

"Obviously we trespassed into their waters," sailor Faye Turney, 26, said on the footage broadcast by Al-Alam, an Arabic-language, Iranian state-run television station that is carried across the Middle East by satellite. "They were very friendly and very hospitable, very thoughtful, nice people. They explained to us why we've been arrested, there was no harm, no aggression," she said.