Landing on Romanian soil after nearly two months in captivity in Iraq, journalist Marie Jeanne Ion tugged off her yellow headscarf today and ran across the tarmac into her younger sister's arms.
Fellow former hostage Sorin Miscoci - beaming - clutched a bunch of red carnations, and Ovidiu Ohanesian waved wildly to the crowd of friends and journalists waiting on the other side of the runway.
The three Romanian journalists arrived by military plane today, a day after being freed by their captors in Iraq.
Their 55-day ordeal had an extra element of drama when a tyre on the C130 Hercules plane exploded as the plane touched down at Otopeni military airport.
No-one was hurt. President Traian Basescu and Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu were among those eagerly awaiting their return. A guide also kidnapped with them March 28th in Baghdad, Iraqi-American Mohammed Monaf, remained in Iraq in US custody, the US Embassy in Bucharest said.
Ion, a reporter for Prima TV, hugged her sister and parents, shrieked with delight and then grabbed Basescu's hand, making a "V" for victory sign.
They were joined by a smiling - and visibly slimmer - Miscoci, a cameraman for Prima TV. "He told us to stay calm, that they're OK, they are strong," said Miscoci's mother, Elena.
"They haven't slept for a long time, they have red eyes, but they're OK. I feel like today I was born again." Ohanesian, a reporter for the daily newspaper Romania Libera, also waved to crowd, many of whom were teary-eyed.
His mother, Maria, said she was concerned about his health. However, sister Anne Marie said: "They are safe and that's all that matters."
The three have been ordered to stay in medical quarantine, and not talk to the media for several days. All four were freed yesterday.