A group of Tarpon Springs sailors who were being held at a prison in Honduras have been released.

According to Congressman Gus Bilirakis, the Aqua Quest crew members were released around 3 p.m. on Thursday.

"I talked to the Honduran Ambassador and said, 'do you know how bad this looks for your country to detain these good people when they're really here to do humanitarian work?'" said Bilirakis.

Stephen Mayne, the captain's brother, says it should take the crew over 4 days to sail to Tarpon Springs from Honduras. If they leave tonight, which according to Mayne is the plan, they will arrive sometime on Tuesday.

The sailors were held in the country since early May. They are accused of bringing undeclared weapons into Honduras.

Aqua Quest specializes in marine archaeology and salvage. The men were working on a project in the town of Ahuas to remove logs from a river. Honduran naval officials said they found guns on the crew's 65-foot boat as the workers entered port.

The company's president and captain, Robert Mayne, along with Michael Mayne, Nick Cook, Devon Butler, James Garrett and Stephen Matanich were held at a prison in Puerto Lempira since May 5.

The men deny they did anything wrong.

"It's been a crazy ordeal because they've been innocent from the beginning," said Amy Ivey, Matanich's sister. "It's just been unimaginable that this could happen."

A number of U.S. politicians worked to have the group released from the prison, including Vice President Joe Biden.

Family members said they were still worried the men might be detained for a long time.

"There were times when I told myself there's a possibility they're not going to come home," said Sarah Montgomery, Matanich's fiance. "But then I'd cancel it out and say, 'yes they are,' and I tried to stay positive."

A Honduran capital judge signed a federal order last weekend calling for the sailors to be released, but the men were stuck in jail because it needed to be handled by a local judge who was out on bereavement leave.

Family members said they're ready for the crew to be back on U.S. soil.

"We're relieved and excited and can't wait until they're home and they're safe," said Ivey.