Irishman drowned in Bahrain tourist ship tragedy, inquest hears

AN Irishman drowned when a tourist ship sank off the coast of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, an inquest ruled yesterday.

Derek Cunningham and his Thai wife Orathai were among the 57 people who perished when the al-Dana vessel capsized less than 1.5km off the coast on March 30, 2006.

The 52-year-old, from Kells, Co Meath, who worked for Mercury Engineering was attending a dinner function on the vessel when it sank.