Two Taiwanese fishing boats eluded Philippine naval ships and returned home Tuesday, after escaping from a port where they had been detained on charges of illegal fishing.

The boats with five crewmen fled the northern Philippine port of Aparri before dawn Monday, in the midst of the turmoil caused by a weekend military uprising. The mutiny ended late Sunday in Manila following a 19-hour standoff.

The two boats made a detour to seas south of China to elude the chasing navy ships, Su Ming-sheng, one of the boat's captains, told reporters after docking at Chengkung port in southern Taiwan.

The two fishing boats were detained in early May on charges of illegal fishing, he said.

Last week, four other detained Taiwanese fishing boats fled Aparri after a typhoon hit the area. The boats returned to Tungkangport in southern Taiwan last weekend.

The detained fishermen have complained that Taiwanese authorities made no effort to seek their release. But Taiwanese officials said the Philippine authorities refused to negotiate with them.

Taiwan's chief fisheries official, Hu Sing-hwa, said Tuesday he still hoped the Philippines would be willing to talk about a fishing agreement, and urged Taiwanese fishermen to exercise restraint.

(Shenzhen Daily July 30, 2003)