Irish Naval Mediterranean EU rescue patrols

[ancientmariner]

Indeed well done. The combined Irish effort, of Eithne and Niamh ,has brought more than 5000 people to safety. We are likely to be exceeding the load factors achieved by our nearest neighbour with Bulwark. The Irish media is performing abysmally , even ignoring L/Sea Casey's exploits, they have little regard overall for the migrant story of this decade, and our part in it.

[ancientmariner]

In the current operation 125 were initially rescue from a deflating rubber type boat. Later at 5pm on the 10th, they commenced taking an additional 375 migrants from an Italian Naval vessel. On completion of the transhipment they are expected to be dispatched to a designated Italian port to offload 500 souls. Mammoth work all round especially the transfer from Italian Ship "Mimbelli".

[Brian McGrath]

Indeed well done. The combined Irish effort, of Eithne and Niamh ,has brought more than 5000 people to safety. We are likely to be exceeding the load factors achieved by our nearest neighbour with Bulwark. The Irish media is performing abysmally , even ignoring L/Sea Casey's exploits, they have little regard overall for the migrant story of this decade, and our part in it.

Agree with you on the media, unless its bad news they don't want to know, they make me sick they way they go on picking the bits they want to publish, I have always thought that our Defence Forces get very little publicity in the media despite being involved in some of the best peacekeeping operations overseas, life saving operations carried out by the Air Corps and the great work by the Navy today and of course in the defence of our Country by all agencies in drug and gun smuggling operations.

[trellheim]

The work is being well documented here. Does anyone have interest in creating and maintaining a log ( no debate whatsoever ) of the reported operations ? I will set one up if people want to contribute. No debate and no posts without links, no politics either . Running totals of deployment days and so on.

[HavocIRL]

Pardon a landlubber's ignorance and I understand if it may be OPSEC but are they getting any rest/time off? Or are they just constantly patrolling the area during this time?

[na grohmiti]

Yes. There has been downtime given on some occasions when the ship is in a port. But they are there to do an operation for 2 months. Its not a med cruise.

[TangoSierra]

The work is being well documented here. Does anyone have interest in creating and maintaining a log ( no debate whatsoever ) of the reported operations ? I will set one up if people want to contribute. No debate and no posts without links, no politics either . Running totals of deployment days and so on.

Awesome idea. Try Google Fusion Tables for collaboration and mapping
https://support.google.com/fusiontab...3107&ctx=topic

[TangoSierra]

Yes. There has been downtime given on some occasions when the ship is in a port. But they are there to do an operation for 2 months. Its not a med cruise.

Letting them have two weeks in Malta / Ibiza would be a nice decompression stop for the crew IMO. They deserve it.

[DeV]

How long did they get as downtime / logs admin after pulling 25 bodies out of the water?

[HavocIRL]

How long did they get as downtime / logs admin after pulling 25 bodies out of the water?

That's why I'm asking. They deserve it.

[DeV]

I was asking the question couldn't remember. They got 4 days

[ancientmariner]

The problem is the Mission is not over, till it's over. They are still Good to Go. Downtime comes much later.

[ancientmariner]

The other thing that struck me was during the transfer from the Italian Destroyer " Francesco Mimbelli" to " Niamh" the Italian boat crews seem to be wearing sidearms in holsters. Our chaps seem to be only rescuing people and cuddling the babies.

[DeV]

You didn't notice the HMGs on the mounts?

[ancientmariner]

No missed that! Close to Libya it might be necessary as two vessels have been attacked by Libyan forces within 12 miles of the coast.