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Many Dead As Boat Sinks


At least 57 people were killed - including 13 Britons- when a pleasure boat carrying around 137 passengers capsized off the coast of Bahrain.

It is reported the vessel's captain had been reluctant to set sail as it only had a capacity for 100 people.

An official from the British Embassy said: "We are aware that some British nationals have died as a result of the accident."

At least 25 Britons - many believed to be ex-pats - were known to have been on board.

As well as the 13 reported to have died, three people with dual-nationality are also thought to have been killed.

Other nationalities include Irish, American, German, Indian, South African, Egyptian and Polish.


Around 150 people had eaten dinner on the boat last night but a number got off before it set sail for an evening cruise because of sea-sickness.

Around 67 people have so far been been rescued and 13 are missing.

TV images showed emergency workers taking bodies wrapped in white sheets off a small dinghy.

Scores of officials and relatives waited in the harbour watching the rescue operation.

It is thought the boat had been chartered for workers who had recently completed the Bahrain World Trade Centre towers.

The two deck boat overturned around a mile from the coast as it returned to the port of Al Muharraq

Officials said it was too early to confirm what might have caused the accident, but overcrowding is suspected. Weather conditions were said to be reasonable.

US Navy boats and divers took part in the rescue operation.
Sky

Saturday, 1 April 2006, 18:05 GMT 19:05 UK

A representative of the company that hired a tour boat which capsized off Bahrain, killing at least 57 people, has insisted his firm was not to blame.

Manager Simon Hill, who survived the disaster, said the construction firm Murray and Roberts had told the captain not to sail if it was unsafe.

He said some people were uneasy and got off the swaying boat before it set out.

A government spokesman says the ship, a former fishing vessel, was not authorised to operate as a tour boat.

Bahraini officials have said those who died were of 16 nationalities, including Egyptians, Filipinos and South Africans.

The boat's owners, the al-Dana company, have blamed overcrowding, pinning responsibility on the tour company operating the vessel, Island Tours. It has been unavailable for comment.

Abdullah al-Qubaisi, of al-Dana, said the tour operator had insisted on setting sail even though there were too many people on board.

Mr al-Qubaisi told state television the boat was allowed to carry only 100 passengers.

Officials earlier said that they believed there were 137 on board when the incident occurred, but the figure was then revised to 126.

The chief executive of Murray and Roberts has said their understanding was that the boat may have been capable of taking 200 people.

Full Update BBC