Date:07/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/07/07/stories/2008070755521200.htm

International - India & World

Indian embassy’s appeal to dhow victims

Dubai: The Indian Embassy in Bahrain has asked relatives of the victims of a 2006 boat capsize, in which 22 Indians died, not to accept any out-of-court settlement with the vessel’s owner.

Fifty-eight people, including 22 Indians, died when Al Dana dhow, a luxury ship, capsized in March 2006 during a party to celebrate the completion of work at the Bahrain World Trade Centre.

The appeal followed a number of complaints that the vessel owner Abdulla Al Kobaisi’s legal team has been trying to persuade families to accept a payment at a much reduced level, rather than wait for the civil case to conclude, said a report in Gulf Daily News.

Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) Secretary-General C.R. Nambiar stressed that while such approaches were not illegal, relatives should not lose hope that the matter, which had dragged on for more than two years, would eventually be resolved through court.

“We know they are contacting families of Indians and other nationalities,” Mr. Nambiar said. — PTI