Egypt's Foreign Ministry follows investigations conducted by Tunisian authorities with Egyptian fishermen arrested by Tunisian coast guards off the coast of Zarzis, southeastern Tunisia, Spokesperson for the ministry Ahmed Abu Zeid ststed late Tuesday. The ministry announced, in an official statement, that an Egyptian fishing boat carrying 11 Egyptian fishermen was seized in the city of Zarzis and was intercepted 19 km from the Tunisian coast. The coast guards led the boat and the fishermen to the nearest commercial port in Zarzis to conduct an immediate investigation, sources revealed. Abu Zeid asserted that Egyptian ambassador in Tunis is contacting Tunisian foreign ministry to facilitate the fishermen's release, adding that Egypt's consultant at Djerba has called local officials in the port to assure their safety. Egyptian Foreign Ministry warned frequently Egyptian fishermen from entering and sailing in foreign territorial waters to avoid possible threats to their lives, in a statement released on Tuesday.
