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Bahrain Authorities Detain Captain of Capsized Boat


Authorities in Bahrain have detained the captain of a cruise boat that capsized Thursday night in the Persian Gulf, killing 57 people.

The prosecutor's office says the man, an Indian, was not qualified to captain the boat, and is being held for questioning.

The traditional wooden boat had been chartered for a construction company party. Owners said it was overloaded, carrying more than its capacity of 100. Officials say 126 people were believed to have been aboard.

Survivors said the boat began to list sharply after it made a sharp turn about two kilometers off the Bahrain coast in calm weather.

Most of the victims were foreigners, including 21 Indians and at least 13 Britons.

On Friday, Britain sent a team of foreign service officers and Red Cross officials to work with survivors and bereaved families.

Also among the dead were five South Africans, five Filipinos, four Singaporeans, four Pakistanis, two Thais, a German, a South Korean and an Irish citizen.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.

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