An inquest has ruled that inherent instability, poor safety equipment and an unqualified crew all contributed to the deaths of 58 people, including 15 Britons, when a party boat capsized in Bahrain on March 30.

Sitting at West London’s Coroner’s Court, coroner Alison Thompson recorded a rare narrative verdict.

She cited a Bahrain report into the disaster which found that the vessel – a wooden dhow – had been ‘dramatically altered’ with a superstructure built on to the traditional boat destabilising it.

Ms Thompson said the 130 people on board also contributed to the boat’s instability.

The inquest heard that escape doors on the lower deck were locked, while lifebuoys were fastened to handrails with nylon ropes.