Two Britons 'rescued as 13 drown when Caribbean tourist boat capsizes'

Thirteen holidaymakers have drowned in the Caribbean after the sinking of a tourist boat the Foreign Office said was carrying British citizens.

The man and woman were saved from the stricken vessel that capsized in poor weather killing 13 women, all Costa Rican nationals, as it sailed between two islands around 43 miles off the coast of south-eastern Nicaragua, according to Express.co.uk.

The pair were reportedly rescued with two American tourists, three Nicaraguans and 12 Costa Ricans, who were aboard the Reina del Caribe, Spanish for "Caribbean Queen", when the boat got into difficulty in rain and high winds travelling between the Corn Islands, a popular tourist destination.

The boat's captain and owner have been detained on suspicion of breaking a ban on operating while stormy weather hit the region.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are aware of the sinking of a passenger boat between Corn Island and Little Corn Island in the Caribbean Sea on 23 January.

"We are in touch with the local authorities and providing consular assistance to affected British nationals".

The Foreign Office declined to comment further.

Mario Berrios, the Nicaraguan navy's commander for the southern Caribbean region, said the boat's captain and owner were detained because the vessel was not permitted to sail.

Local authorities had reportedly suspended boat launches in the area due to high wind speeds that reached 25 to 30 knots (29 to 35 mph) after several days of stormy weather around the remote islands,.

Government spokeswoman Rosario Murillo told the official media portal El 19 Digital the incident had been "a great tragedy".