Probe after tour boat hit by ice

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The probe follows concern that the captain of the boat could have been sailing too close to the edge of glacier when the accident happened on Wednesday.

Local officials said the passengers were hurt - some seriously - after being thrown around on the ship when large chunks of the ice shelf broke off and collapsed into the sea.

The blocks of ice hit the side of the vessel as it was carrying tourists off the Svalbard Islands, 300 miles north of Norway.

The injured Britons were among 46 who had paid around £2,500 to take part in the "expedition voyage", booked through specialist tour operator Discover The World. Authorities in Svalbard have launched the investigation.

Stein Tore Pedersen, tourism advisor to the sysselmann (governor), said the injuries sustained by the British tourists included broken arms and legs and fractured ribs.

The ages of those on board ranged from around 40 up to the 70s, the operator said.

At around 4.30pm on Wednesday, the vessel - named the Alexey Maryshev and operated by Dutch company Oceanwide Expeditions - was near to an ice shelf when part of the glacier "calved off".

In a statement, Discover the World said: "We understand that some of the smaller pieces of ice and water were washed onto the ship's deck and seven passengers were injured."

The company added: "We have done all possible to contact the next of kin of those passengers who were injured, and we will continue to keep in close contact with them."