France to investigate sinking of Cap Blanc

Two marine investigators from France will be in Newfoundland and Labrador in January to start an inquiry into the sinking of a St-Pierre-Miquelon cargo vessel off the province's south coast.

The director of France's marine accident investigation agency, Jean-Pierre Mannic, told the Canadian Press on Monday he will be asking questions about how a cargo of road salt was loaded on board the Cap Blanc, a roll-on, roll-off ship that left Argentia on Dec. 1. The vessel was headed for the French islands.

The search was called off Friday for four crewmembers.     

The 36-metre ship capsized and went down south of Marystown Dec. 2 in three-metre seas and winds gusting to 63 kilometres an hour.     

Canada's Transportation Safety Board will also take part in the investigation.     

Mannic said he expects the study to take several months to complete.