Berlin  - Three people died when a motorboat capsized in a canal in East Frisia in north-western Germany, police in the state of Lower Saxony said Sunday.

Eight other members of two families that were aboard the boat were in hospital suffering from cold and shock following the accident on Saturday evening.

One man died at the scene when the vessel capsized in water just over a metre deep. A baby and a 4-year-old boy died later in hospital.

Police spokesman Guenter Penning said the cause of the accident remained unclear.

Police had recovered the 5-metre motorboat, he said. (dpa)