The Indian captain of a luxury boat that capsized in Bahrain in March killing 58 people, including 22 from India, has pleaded not guilty to charges of manslaughter.
T Ramachandran Kumar and the Bahraini owner of 'Al Dana' dhow which went down on March 30, were charged with manslaughter on Tuesday at the opening of their trial in the Lower Criminal Court in Manama. Kumar pleaded not guilty to causing the deaths through sailing the dhow, which the public prosecution said he was unqualified to do.
The owner, Abdulla Al Kobaisi, also pleaded not guilty to the charge of causing the deaths. According to prosecution, he caused the deaths "by using an unseaworthy dhow and neglecting the safety of passengers."
The prosecution also accused him of lying in a publicity campaign that claimed the boat could carry 200 passengers. At the time of the accident, 130 passengers were on board. The prosecution claimed "tragic mistakes" by the owner and captain were to blame for the disaster and that the vessel was only fit for fishing and should never have been used as a passenger boat.
Kobaisi, who appeared with his family, asked the court to charge a list of other suspects, including the Coast Gaurd, the tour company and an executive with the company, which rented the boat. The boat was hired by South African company Murray and Roberts and its partner Bahraini firm Mass to celebrate the construction of the shell of a $150 million World Trade Centre in Manama. The trial has been adjourned till July 1, Bahraini media reported.