The captain of a pleasure boat that capsized and killed an Irishman and at least 15 British people off the coast of Bahrain was being questioned today as the inquiry into the tragedy got under way.

An Irish construction worker based in Bahrain was among those who died when a dinner-cruise boat capsized on Thursday night.

Colleagues tonight paid tribute to the Irish man who drowned when a tourist boat sank off the coast of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf.

At least 57 people, including 1 Irish man, 13 Britons and 17 Indian nationals, drowned when a dinner-cruise ship with 137 people on board capsized just off the Bahraini coast last night in calm waters, the Interior Ministry said.

An Irishman has been confirmed as being among the 57 people who drowned when a cruise ship capsized off the Bahraini coast last night.

The Government is trying to establish whether there may be an Irish casualty from last night's pleasure boat disaster off the coast of Bahrain.

A Bahrain Interior Ministry official has increased the death toll from last night's ferry disaster to 57.

A ferry carrying up to 150 people capsized and sank last night off the coast of Bahrain and at least 48 bodies have so far been recovered, officials said.