Pakistani High Commission came to Mumbai on Friday to take them back. “They are currently at the Yellow Gate police station and are leaving on Monday for Karachi. The necessary paper work has been completed,” said MG Tope, police inspector of Yellow Gate police station.

The hostages are overjoyed by the prospect of seeing their families after almost eight months. After being held hostage for three months aboard their trawler, captured by Somali pirates in December 2010, the hostages spent the last three months outside Yellow Gate police station after they were rescued by the Indian Navy. In the aftermath of this incident, many of them have said that they plan on quitting the profession of fishing.

“We miss home and our jobs have always kept us away from our family. We were informed that we would be sent back soon. Once we go back, we intend on finding a job closer to home,” said Aurangzeb Nabi Bakhsh Balloch, 24, one of the five hostages.

However, the men also concede that they will miss India, on return. “We are carrying back newspapers which have our photos and articles about us,” said Mohammed Umair, 18.

Three months after they first came to India, the Ministry of Home Affairs  planned on taking the hostages to Delhi. However, on Monday they revised this decision and granted them access to the consulate in Mumbai.