Seven Malaysian fishermen who were detained by the Indonesian authorities on Friday for "operating in Indonesian waters illegally" have been freed and arrived back in Johor Baru this morning.

They arrived on a passenger ferry from Batam at the Stulang Jetty at 11.20am accompanied by staff of the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore.

They were later brought to Pengerang to meet their family members.

The Indonesian authorities detained seven of 15 fishermen who were fishing off Kota Tinggi, claiming that they had encroached into Bintan waters, in Indonesia.

- Bernama