THE French former captain and first mate of a Poole ferry, which was involved in a collision with a fishing boat in which its skipper died two years ago, are due to go on trial today.

The collision took place in March 2011, as the high speed wave piercing catamaran Condor Vitesse was travelling from St Helier, Jersey to St Malo in France with 194 passengers and 27 crew on board.

The fishing boat captain Phillipe LeSaulnier, 42, a father of four died, while his two crew survived after being rescued from the back of their craft which remained afloat.

Ex-ferry captain Paul Le Romancer, 58, and his first mate Yves Tournon, 48, are facing charges of manslaughter, involuntary injury and failing to respect maritime regulations.