SA ambassador in Bahrain to help

2006-03-31 11:05

Johannesburg - South Africa's ambassador to Saudi Arabia, (A H) Gabier, was at the scene of the Bahrain ferry disaster on Friday and was working with a team to verify how many South Africans were involved, foreign affairs said.

Foreign affairs spokesperson Nomfanelo said although Gabier wasn't based in Bahrain, he was accredited for Bahrain, she said.

He and embassy officials would help the South Africans involved get medical assistance, contact their families, make arrangements to fly home and make other decisions difficult when under stress, Kota said.

Kota said the department was still verifying earlier information that six South Africans were among the 57 dead and hoped to have further information after 11:00.

Seven South Africans were rescued, treated and discharged from hospital after a ferry capsized in Bahrain, added Kota.

Four Murray and Roberts staff were confirmed to have drowned when the ferry capsized during a pleasure cruise on Thursday night, the company said in Johannesburg.

Another six employees were still unaccounted for. Fifteen were confirmed safe.

Murray and Roberts has set up a crisis centre at its Johannesburg corporate office, which was supported by its offices in London and Dubai. It had also flown a management team to Bahrain.

The company has 25 people working on the construction of the World Trade Centre there.

Eight are South Africans, 11 are from the United Kingdom, one each from Bahrain and Pakistan, and four from India.

"We are deeply shocked by this tragedy. Our sympathy and condolences go out to all those who have been affected," said Murray and Roberts group chief executive Brian Bruce.

- SAPA