Patrol ship took 703 migrants to Catania

A baby was born on the "LÉ Eithne" in the night of June 16, 2017, after her mother and over 700 other migrants were rescued from a series of vessels off the Libyan coast. Defence Force medics delivered the baby on board the ship , having rescued 703 migrants attempting to sail to Europe. Both the mother and child weree healthy and well. The vessel arrived at the scene in the afternoon, where they rescued migrants from five inflatable boats, before mounting a large-scale operation to rescue people from three NGO ships and ten “platforms in distress. The migrants were taken to Catania, where they will be handed over to the Italian Authorities. The Irish Defence Forces first deployed the "LÉ Eithne", to the Mediterranean on May 23 as part of the Government’s response to the migrant crisis.