THE owners of a pleasure boat, which capsized off the coast of Bahrain killing 57 people, last night suggested that overcrowding may have caused the disaster.

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

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.