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Irish and French authorities are to carry out a joint investigation into the sinking of sail training vessel, Asgard II, off the French coast in the early hours of this morning.

The Marine Casualty Investigation Board (MCIB) will be co-operating with its French counterpart on the inquiry into the sinking. An MCIB spokesman said that it was too early to speculate on the cause, but interviews would be held with the ship’s master, crew and trainees.

An underwater investigation may not be necessary if enough information can be gleaned at that stage, and any decision on the vessel’s possible salvage would not be taken by the MCIB, he said.