LÉ Niamh rescues another 243 migrants near Tripoli

The Naval Service vessel LÉ Niamh rescued 243 migrants from a wooden barge 80km northwest of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, yesterday.

It was the latest in a series of such rescues which saw the vessel rescue nearly 500 migrants from the Mediterranean on Saturday morning.

The 243 migrants comprised 183 men, 33 women, and 27 children who were given food, water and medical attention.

On Saturday the LÉ Niamh intercepted another wooden barge, 110km northwest of Tripoli. The barge was carrying 358 migrants. The ship then linked up with two Italian coastguard vessels 16km off the coast of the island of Lampedusa, where it took a further 110 people on board.

The migrants – 412 men, 41 women and 15 children – were taken to Pozzallo in Sicily. The Naval Service said the LÉ Niamh was continuing on stand-by for further operations under the direction of the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre, which is overseeing the efforts to assist migrants in the Mediterranean.

To date the LÉ Niamh has rescued 672 men, 123 women and 32 children. It left Ireland on July 10th and has a crew of 57, including two Army medics.

The vessel is under the command of Lieut Cdr Daniel Wall.