Survivors of the Al Dana dhow tragedy in Bahrain rubbished claims that an out-of-court settlement had been reached with nearly all those affected.

Speaking on the fourth anniversary of the disaster, in which 58 people died, a spokesman representing more than 20 survivors revealed that legal proceedings against the vessel's owner Abdulla Al Kobaisi were still ongoing.

He explained that they were still seeking compensation through Bahrain's legal system, with the latest hearing in the case some time next month.

The spokesman, who declined to be named, also refuted suggestions that the group would be willing to accept any compensation agreement which allowed Al Kobaisi and those responsible to avoid going to jail.

'I don't think any of us would feel like justice has really been done,' he told our sister newspaper Gulf Daily News (GDN) yesterday.

'In truth, the case is still ongoing and as one of the two (survivors) groups involved, we are no way near agreeing any form of compensation package - let alone one which will negate any possible jail term.

'At the moment, nothing has been agreed.'

Fifty-eight people died when the dhow capsized during a Nass, Murray and Roberts party to celebrate the completion of concreting work at the Bahrain World Trade Centre.

The South-African company had hired the dhow from Island Tours, which leased it from the Abdulla Al Kobaisi Company for Travel and Tourism.

The dhow's Bahraini owner Abdulla Al Kobaisi and his Indian captain Rajendrea Kumar Ramjibhai were convicted of manslaughter.

Ramjibhai was jailed for three years, later losing an appeal against his conviction.

He was released on August 6, 2008 and was deported on the same day, sources have claimed.

His term had been slashed by a few months on account of his good behaviour while serving his sentence.

Kobaisi's lawyer Abdulrahman Mohammed Ghunaim said on Monday that his client had been spared jail, despite being jailed for five years, because he was able to compensate most of the claimants.

He claimed around 98 per cent of survivors and relatives of people who had died in the tragedy had already been compensated.

However, the survivors' group spokesman said it was well over 20 people, far more than the two per cent quoted who were still involved in the legal wrangling.

'Nothing is settled and nothing is agreed; so I'm not sure how anybody can claim that 98 per cent of the people affected have been compensated,' he declared.

'We are being very patient with the situation, we are aware that this case will be a lengthy one and we are going to let it run its course.

'We are looking for a form of justice, the exact figure I cannot say as our group will judge each offer democratically.

'What I can say is that we have been offered compensation deals in the past which have been nothing short of derisory, which is why we have decided to pursue the issue through the courts.

'Blood money may be a concept which is common in this part of the world, but we would be loath to accept any compensation package which condones the avoidance of a jail term.'-TradeArabia News Service