By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain- On March 30, 2006, 58 passengers died of the coast of Bahrain when the Al Dana boat sank.  The passengers were partying following the completion of the first level of the Bahrain World trade centers.

Allegedly, the owner and captain of the boat knew about the instability, because the boat rocked so much previous to the launch that day that some wine glasses had tipped.Some of the passengers disembarked before the launch.  The boat capsized an hour and a half later.  Some of the 150 passengers were saved.  It was also alleged that the crew when determining who to save typically chose the foreigners over the Bahrainis.

The captain and owner of the ship were initially charged with manslaughter regarding the deaths of the 50 people.  However, the defendants appealed the ruling that was supposed to come out on December 3, 2007.   The captain of the ship was given three years in prison for manslaughter and the owner was given 10 years of manslaughter.  The owner has claimed that he was made the scapegoat of the action when he appealed.  The court was responsive to his claim and reduced to five years.

The victims’ families complained, citing their confusion that the man held for manslaughter of 58 people could have his sentence reduced from ten years down to five years.  The owner has offered 20,000 dirhams ($2,582.52) to compensate the families.

The victims view on whether they will accept the money is varied.  A woman reported as being desperately waiting to receive the money because her husband who had provided her income had died on the tragedy.  A young woman orphaned by the tragedy had said that by accepting money she would be stating that she was acquiescing with the death of her parents.

Although, the families have differed whether they will accept the money, the family members agree that the amount of money that is being offered as a compensation for the death of their relative is insulting.

For more information, please see:

BBC News- Many die in Bahrain boat disaster- 31 March 2006

BBC News- Bahrain boat death was ‘unsteady’- 26 October 2006

Gulf Daily News- Victims relatives shocked- 4 December 2007

Gulf Daily News- I am a scapegoat says dhow owner- 5 December 2007

Gulf Daily News- Al Dana appeal ruling denied- 22 November 2007

Gulf Daily News- BD 1.5m insult!- 28 November 2007