The yacht seized by the Iranian Navy –  The Kingdom of Bahrain – a Pindar-sponsored Volvo 60 – had problems with its propellor and drifted into Iranian waters near the island of Sirri while trying to negotiate restricted area around an oil field, according to Charles Porter father of crew member Luke Porter.

He received a phone call from his son. Mr Porter, 48, from Weston-Super-Mare told The Sun: ‘ He has no idea how long he’ll be there, but it was reassuring to hear his voice.’

The nuclear weapons row Iran is having with the west recently escalated when Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad revealed he had plans to build 10 uranium enrichment plants.