A Russian fishing vessel and its crew, including two South Koreans, returned to the South unharmed on Sunday, eleven days after being detained by North Korea.

The Unification Ministry said Sunday that the Xiang Hai Lin 8, the Russian crab fishing boat, carrying 17 crew members, arrived in Sokcho in South Korea's Gangwon Province after having left Wonsan in the North Korean part of Gangwon Province on Saturday evening.

The 300-ton vessel was detained on July 17 after drifting into North Korean waters due to an engine malfunction. 

The ministry said that it regards the release as positive from a humanitarian point of view.