Boat capsize toll rises to 58 with recovery of another body

Manama: The body of an Indian passenger was retrieved from the sea seven-and-a-half nautical miles from the scene of the accident on Sunday morning.

The retrieval of the body brings the number of dead to 58. In another development on Sunday, the co-captain of the cruise boat that capsized off Manama on Thursday, was detained for questioning.

The captain was held two days ago following concerns about his qualifications and whether the boat was overloaded.

"A Bahraini spotted the body floating near Fasht Al Adham and alerted the authorities (who) dispatched a helicopter and a boat to retrieve it," the media head of Ministry of Interior, Mohammad Bin Deynah, said.

"Now, the only missing passenger is a Filipina who, according to friends, was aboard the ill-fated vessel."

According to a Filipino official, the missing Filipina is Nenita Jacob, one of the three waitresses on board.

On Saturday, the authorities said only one passenger was missing after they succeeded in locating an English woman who had been rescued by a passing dhow, but did not report to the police.

Bin Deynah attributed the change in the figures of the missing passengers to the absence of a list of names.

"In the absence of a detailed list, we have been basing our information on testimonies from friends, relatives and co-workers," he said.

"We will call off the (search) only after the competent authorities determine the whereabouts of the missing passenger," Bin Deynah said.

The US Navy, which helped in the search and rescue efforts soon after the sinking of the ship, called off its efforts on Friday but remained in a standby mode.

According to the Ministry of Interior, the cruise boat, Al Dana, was not licensed to sail. Its owner had applied for a licence, but never completed the procedures.

Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa Bin Salman Al Khalifa while chairing the cabinet meeting yesterday ordered that all cruise boats in Bahrain be inspected and their papers examined.

He also stressed on a thorough investigation to determine responsibility for the accident.

Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa visited the embassies of the victims and offered Bahrain's condolences.