Crew aboard LÉ Róisín rescue refugees off Libyan coast
Irish navy vessel the LÉ Róisín has rescued nearly 300 refugees off the coast of Libya.
During a four-hour mission the crew rescued 274 people from an 18 metre long wooden vessel almost 40 nautical miles away from Tripoli.
LÉ Róisín Rescues 274 Migrants from a Vessel 39 Nautical Miles NW of TRIPOLI pic.twitter.com/FLHCXaz9z6
— Óglaigh na hÉireann (@defenceforces) May 23, 2016
The LÉ Róisín has now been tasked by Italian authorities to help with the potential rescue of another 125 people.
Once both operations have been completed the rescued people will be transferred to the Italian authorities.
Search and rescue teams from the medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) also rescued 788 people from unseaworthy boats in six rescue operations in the central Mediterranean Sea.
The first rescue operations were carried out by teams from MSF search and rescue vessel the Dignity 1, who took on board 371 people from three unseaworthy boats that were travelling close to each other.
The second set of rescues involved teams from the Bourbon Argos who rescued 417 people from three overcrowded boats.
BREAKING: The Bourbon #Argos has also completed 3 rescues this morning. Around 417 #people are safely on board. pic.twitter.com/6vKn6q7XHl
— MSF Sea (@MSF_Sea) May 23, 2016
The 788 people are now safely on board MSF's rescue boats.
