WASHINGTON -- Iranian state media reports all 10 detained US Navy sailors have been freed.
The 10 U.S. Navy sailors were taken into custody by Tehran after their two boats drifted into Iranian waters.
"Investigation shows that entry of American sailors into Iran's territorial waters was due to mechanical problems in their navigation system," Gen. Ali Fadavi, Navy chief of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, was quoted as saying on Iran's state TV.
U.S. officials had said on Tuesday that Tehran assured them the crew and vessels would be returned safely and promptly.
Earlier Wednesday, Fadavi said the American boats had shown "unprofessional acts" for 40 minutes before being picked up by Iranian forces after entering the country's territorial waters.
The U.S. detainees included nine men and one woman, who were being held overnight at an Iranian base on Farsi Island in the Persian Gulf. They were expected to be transferred Wednesday to a U.S. ship in the region.