Is this the end for the 95-year-old tall ship that sank in high winds off the Irish coast? By Abigail Frymann Experts are to determine whether a 95-year-old tall ship that ran aground and sank off the south coast of Ireland on Wednesday can be salvaged or whether its travelling days are finally over. The Astrid hit rocks off the Sovereign islands minutes from the safety of Kinsale harbour in Co Cork as it attempted to navigate the harbour's western entrance. All 30 people on board - 23 young trainee sailors and the other more experienced crew - had to be rescued. On the rocks: the Astrid lies stranded off the coast near Kilsale, Co Cork The ship, which takes groups of aspiring sailors on training voyages around the world, lost power in its engine, leaving the crew helpless to save it from being tossed onto the rocky shoreline. Now it is almost totally submerged at high tide, but it remains largely intact after being wedged on to rocks. Salvage experts will have to work out how much it would cost to carry out the huge number of repairs that would be needed to make it seaworthy again. It is feared that Wednesday's drama could be the final chapter in the Astrid's long and colourful history. Sunk: divers and insurers are working out how much the Astrid would cost to repair Mast-see: the Astrid had a colourful 95-year history that included almost six decades working as a cargo ship, possibly being used to smuggle drugs and being restored being gutted in a major fire and abandoned Built in the Netherlands in 1918 as a cargo ship, the vessel was transferred into Swedish ownership and worked Baltic sea trade routes until 1975. After another sale the ship was alleged to have fallen into the hands of drug-smugglers. She was found abandoned and burnt to a shell off the coast of England in the early 1980s. A salvage operation saved her then and she was transformed into a training vessel for young people. A Dutch couple, Pieter and Ineke de Kam, bought the ship around seven years ago. Perilous: the Astrid was blown on to the rocks in high winds. Nearby lies a historic shipwreck The Astrid was one of 50 vessels taking part in a flotilla-style five mile journey from Oysterhaven to Kinsale as part of Ireland's 2013 Gathering initiative - a tourism bid to encourage the Irish diaspora to return to their homeland on holiday. The trainees onboard the Astrid came from Ireland, England, the Netherlands, Spain, France and Belgium. One of the young sailors, Daragh Comiskey, 17, from Co Wexford, said emergency training helped them keep calm as they waited for help. Salvageable? The 95-year-old ship is intact but the bill for the damage will still be high Lifeboats scrambled from across Co Cork arrived within 30 minutes. Eighteen of the crew were rescued and taken back to Kinsale harbour in another vessel taking part in the event - the Spirit of Oysterhaven - with the remainder ferried to land in an RNLI lifeboat. Two Irish Coastguard helicopters and three other lifeboats were also deployed to the scene in response to the mayday call. 'It was very rough when we hit the rocks,' said Daragh. 'There were a few attempts to get the ship back off them but that wasn't going to work. I only realised the ship was in real trouble when the life jackets started getting handed out. Despite the drama, Daragh said people on board the ship, which was being captained by Pieter de Kam, 62, remained calm. Everyone knew what to do, we were all trained. We just listened to instructions. 'Everyone got back safely, which is what matters,' said Daragh. Terrifying: the RNLI rescued the 30 crew on board in a major operation involving four lifeboats and two coastguard helicopters As the Astrid started to sink around 12pm, the crew assembled on deck to await rescue. RNLI crew reported that some of those rescued were in a very shocked state. Crew members were medically assessed at Kinsale Yacht Club but none required hospital treatment. Ineke de Kam said she was relieved the crew and the trainees were safe but referring to the boat, she added: 'Everything is lost. We cannot believe it. [Pieter] was using the small motor and it would not start and then he put all the sails up but it was too late, he was on the rocks. Then he called the Coastguard and they arrived in time to help and everyone is safe. As she was, the Astrid in 2010. Ineke de Kam, who owned the boat with her husband Pieter, said she was relieved everyone was safe but added 'Everything is lost' I was so shook up when I heard - I could not believe it. There is so much to do in Ireland - I do not know when he will be home. I am just glad he is okay and that he was able to call me. The trip to Ireland was the first expedition Mrs de Kam had not accompanied her husband. She said he was an experienced sailor. Vincent O'Donovan from the RNLI said a major rescue operation had to be launched. 'It was very dramatic,' he said. It happened very quickly, thanks be to God the rescue was successful. That is a very rocky part of the coastline, there is a famous old ship wreck that lies in that area, it is a place inaccessible by land. It was very hairy, anything could have gone wrong, if the life rafts were blown onto the rocks it could have been very serious.