MOSCOW -- The detention of a Russian yacht by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) was due to misunderstanding, a Russian diplomat said Sunday.

"The explanation (given by the DPRK) is that there was a misunderstanding," said Yuri Bochkarev, Russia's consulate general in Chongjin, capital of DPRK's North Hangyong Province.

A Russian Elfin yacht with five crew members on board was detained by a DPRK coast guard ship in international waters late Friday. The vessel was on the way from the South Korean port of Pusan to Russia's Vladivostok after an international yachts race.

Pyongyang informed Russia Sunday that the yacht was allowed to leave the country at 10:00 a.m. local time (01:30 GMT), RIA Novosti news agency quoted Bochkarev as saying.

The vessel is expected to arrive in Vladivostok in 24 hours.