Captain David Barry spoke with Áine Lawlor on the News at One about how the LE Niamh recovered 14 bodies from a wooden barge in the Mediterranean.
From the interview…
Captain David Barry: “Yesterday morning, she [LE Niamh] was tasked to carry out a rescue on a barge and this was north of Tripoli, Libya. She picked up about 240 people from that and later that day she was tasked with a second vessel. They came across another an ex- it would have been an ex-fishing vessel with approximately 500 people on board. This vessel was grossly overcrowded. Even by the standards of what is happening down there and some of the people on board told our crew that there were casualties on board. So we transferred 210 people to our ship and a further, approximately 300, to a Médecins Sans Frontières ship, Dignity 1. At this stage, it was dark and our people carried out a search of the vessel, where unfortunately we found the remains of 14 people below decks.”
Listen back in full here
LÉ Niamh recovers 14 bodies during Mediterranean rescue (Irish Times)
Pic: RTE
There is no mandate from the Irish people for our Navy to be involved in these operations.
Whether there’s a mandate or not, I’m proud to say we’re not turning a blind eye or trying to wash our hands of what is a Europe wide problem.
Are you saying you have a problem with our nation using our military capability to rescue human beings from almost certain death?
Are you saying you’d be happy for the Irish military to take part in any conflict it choses without any consent form the people?
What conflict are we taking part in here¿
This’ll be a good one I reckon…… if it’s answered
The conflict between people fleeing hellish conditions and POSEIDON, LORD OF THE SEA.
The L.E. Niamh is depriving him of his rightful victims. Do *you* want to piss off the god of earthquakes?
“to take part in any conflict it chooses”
I see what you’re doing there, but do you?
The Peoples Pablo?
Peoples it is a rescue mission not a conflict mission the men and women of the LE Niamh are doing this nation proud by not letting innocents drown in the Mediterranean. Maybe you should hop on a wooden vessel with no engine and 500 other people in the Mediterranean and see if you feel our rescue mission is a act of conflict. I hope you are just a troll and not a moron that actually thinks this train of thought is acceptable.
I’m on the side of leaving them out there floating. And no its not a European problem, it’s a ridiculous PC problem. Political Correctness dictates if you don’t agree with helping, which is helping human trafficking indirectly by “saving” these people and completing their trip to Europe, that your an awful country with awful citizens.
look, just move to arizona, creep.
Iv been there its a lovely place.
anom – if you think letting people die floating in an ocean is acceptable then you are an awful citizen.
I never said that any where in my post.
Oh noes! Its the PC!! The dreaded PC that stops people being idiots about single mums/black people/lesbians//immigrants/drowning people/*whatever group its trendy for nutters to be hating on*!
Such an incredibly useful for identifying completely ridiculous tossers with less humanity than a dishcloth
That’s a wild assumption your making. In fact i think you mixing up your ignorance of the situation with pretend rogiousness.
Anomanomanom i hope you wear your i am proud to support pregnant women and babies drowning in the Mediterranean badge in real life and don’t just hide it behind your anonymity on here.
Of course, I throw pro women/baby drowning parties all the time. Can point out any where in my post I actually say that.
Well you said “I’m on the side of leaving them out there floating” but when we did that they died in their hundreds so it’s not a giant leap to say that you’re happier with these brown people dying in their hundreds than being rescued by EU navies.
“I’m on the side of leaving them out there floating” what do you think is going to happen to them if we leave them out there? http://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/africa/up-to-700-feared-dead-as-migrant-boat-sinks-off-libya-1.2181275
Was “say controversial Katie Hopkins-esque comment and then when called out on it, deny deny deny” in the bingo?
How can i deny something i didn’t say. I stand by everything i say. And the use of the words Brown people is a tad racist, they could white/bkack/brown or bloody green it’s all the same. I still stand by my comments, no racism just not Irish so not our problem.
“I’m on the side of leaving them out there floating.”
You think they’re just out there soaking up some vitamin D? It’s not that you’re indifferent, which is gross anyway, you’re clearly annoyed at them fleeing for their lives.
“I’m on the side of leaving them out there floating.” means you don’t want them rescued. You also know that 14 people died before anyone was rescued. So you think it’s okay to allow, by inaction, at least 14 deaths. Whether or not you specifically stated that you were okay with people being allowed to die on a boat doesn’t matter, it was heavily implied by your comment.
Your interpretation
Anomanomanom a lot of your comments make me wonder are you Evert Bopp? just you say a lot what he says and your love of Arizona.
I don’t love it i just like it.
So your problem is with being seen as a racist rather than seen as lacking in empathy. Which your ‘not Irish’ says a lot about.
Iv no problem being seen as anything, first off I know I’m not racist and I do have empathy, in certain cases. But it’s amazing how not one reply mentioned my point about by helping the people we are also helping the trafficking of people. I wouldn’t have a problem if the saved people were sent back to where they came from or to the country who’s waters they were found in. And il take all the ridiculous comments and pretend shock people want to give me but at least I’m measured with my responses, unlike some.
Has anyone seen Anom’s dog recently…?
There’s no prohibition on it either – it’s our navy ordered there by our government, we’re violating no neutrality clause.
Put it to (an unnecessary) referendum tomorrow and I guarantee your “let the brown people die at sea” side will lose massively, Ireland is decent that way.
I’m always suspicious of anyone or any organisation using the word people’s in their name. Usually a crank who can’t accept no one likes their views
SPLITTER!
I dunno, that “Don’t let any brown people be citizens of our country” referendum passed by a landslide. I wouldn’t underestimate just how racist this country is.
There’s a mandate from me. I’m an Irish person. Hang on and I’ll ask the rest.
Yeah, I’m okay with it. Carry on. That’s two.
Nope, no mandate. Just plain old human decency.
There is. We elected the Simon Coveney (minister for defence) and Michael D. Higgins. Unless you mean we need a referendum every time any part of the defence forces wants to do something. Seems a bit time consuming.
EU gets together to save (and rightly so) thousands of people fleeing break down of law and order in their own countries.
But, Greece is left to rot.
Did you not notice the big bailout that Greece got? You know, the €86 billion that was approved just two weeks ago? That’s on top of the €110 billion from 2010 and the €100 billion from 2012.
Of the 7bn bridging loan sent to Greece as a result of those talks, 6.8bn was transferred to the ECB and IMF within 24 hours of its receipt.
Mr. T was talking about helping the Greek people – you didn’t address this, as the bailout cash does nothing of the sort.
Yeah. Also, the EU did nothing to save the milk in my fridge from going off. Boo.
This rescue business is getting sadly hilarious. What the F are the EU doing rescuing boat after boat after … there are over a million people ready to leave the shore today! are they just going to wait off the coast of Libya to pick them up every time? Its gone beyond silly at this stage. France, UK, go clean up the mess you started in Libya and sort it out!
They are sorting it out – by making everyone else deal with it
+1
The new British ship they sent there hasn’t rescued a sausage, apparently.