12 people rescued after vessel capsizes in rough waters

Manama: An Eid fun sea outing almost turned into tragedy when a boat carrying 12 people, including four children, capsized in choppy waters off Al Dar Islands on Friday.

The boat was headed to the tiny island on a fishing trip when the mishap occurred around midday.

While recuperating, the Indian passengers praised two Bahrainis - 40-year-old policeman Ahmad Al Awwami and 32-year-old Coastguard officer Nabeel Hassan - whose presence of mind and courage saved them.

"The two officers were themselves out on a pleasure trip near the islands when they saw the boat capsize in rough weather," coastguard legal affairs head Major Yousuf Al Subaei said at a press conference. "They immediately started rescuing the victims and by the time we arrived after being alerted, everybody was safely on the Bahrainis' boat," he said.

Micheal Edwin, the Indian boat owner, is being investigated and has admitted he had made a mistake, Al Subaei said. The 20-foot boat can carry only four passengers, but when a friend asked him, he agreed to take them all. The owner had also not renewed the vessel licence and registration.

The survivors, apparently good swimmers, said that when the boat capsized, they steadied themselves around it and put the children on top of the upturned vessel.