Irish Naval vessel LE NIAMH rescues about 500 migrants
Patrol boat of the Irish Naval vassel the LÉ NIAMH disembarked 468 migrants (412 male, 41 female, 15 minors), at Pozzallo, Sicily at 9 am this morning, Defence Forces Ireland said on Saturday.
Having successfully conducted a Search and Rescue Operation 110 kilometres north-west of Tripoli, Libya on the 24th of July, rescuing 358 migrants from a wooden barge, the LÉ NIAMH was re-tasked to rendezvous with 2 Italian Coast Guard vessels (CP 322 & CP 324) 16 kilometres south of Lampedusa, taking a further 110 persons on board, for onward passage to Pozzallo.
The LÉ NIAMH is conducting routine logistical and administrative tasks and is on stand-by for further operations, awaiting direction from the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre for it's next tasking.
Figures for today's operation are provisional until administratively confirmed by Italian authorities.
To date the LÉ NIAMH has directly rescued a total of 827 (672 men, 123 women and 32 children).
The LÉ NIAMH departed Ireland on Friday 10th of July. The vessel has a crew of fifty-seven personnel, including two Army medics and is commanded by Lieutenant Commander Danial Wall.
The role of the Irish Naval vessel will be to provide a search and rescue capability and to undertake humanitarian rescue operations at sea in the Mediterranean. Assistance to persons in distress at sea will be provided in accordance with the applicable provisions of international conventions governing search and rescue situations. A Naval Service vessel will be deployed in the Mediterranean over the summer period, subject to the operational demands and requirements arising in the theatre of operations.