A boat carrying 20 people celebrating the birthday of five-year-old twins sank in a lake today killing 16 people including the children.

The boat belongs to a restaurant on the shores of Lake Farka, three miles east of the capital Tirana.

It has a capacity of seven, but had been transporting 20 partygoers from the restaurant when it sank, police spokeswoman Alma Katragjini said.

Authorities believe the tragedy happened because the boat was overloaded.

The sinking happened shortly after midnight, Ms Katragjini said. By 3am, rescuers had pulled 16 bodies from the lake, including the twin boys.

Fourteen of the victims were members of two families. Two other bodies are believed to be those of family friends.

Outside Tirana mortuary, men wept and held each other as relatives and friends gathered to claim the bodies.

Lakeside restaurants are popular in Albania, but most are near roads. The one on Lake Farka was more remote and a boat was often used to ferry customers.