President to lead Lusitania commemoration in Cork today

The President Michael D Higgins will lead a commemoration in Co Cork later to mark 100 years since the sinking of the Lusitania.

A total of 1,201 lives were lost when the passenger ship was sunk by a German U-Boat off the Cork coast on May 7, 1915.

Crowds arriving for today's #Lusitania100 service of remembrance at #Cobh Cathedral @rtenews pic.twitter.com/knGhFT83FZ

— JennïeØSullivân (@OSullivanJennie) May 7, 2015

The ceremony in Cobh will take place at 1pm and will also be attended by the British, German and US ambassadors to Ireland.

The cruise liner Queen Victoria and the USS Anzio (CG 68), a US Navy Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, have arrived in Cork as part of the commemoration.

As part of the commemorations, a diver will descend to the ship and place a white rose and a plaque with the names of the victims onto the wreck.