Naval Service expects to find more dead migrants

People-smugglers are brutalising migrants to such an extent the Naval Service is concerned it will find more of them dead in boats during the coming months.

The concerns were raised after the bodies of two women were found in a dinghy off the coast of Libya by the crew of LE Róisín and many of the other 111 other migrants onboard collapsed as they were rescued. Just over a week ago LE Róisín came across a migrant vessel in the same area in which they discovered a dead man.

It has now emerged that he was Eritrean and had been moved around by people-smugglers for three months. He was then detained in a holding centre for a further month before being herded onto an unseaworthy craft.

Naval sources have said they are coming across far more exhausted, sick and malnourished migrants this year then they did during operations in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015. Many have also been robbed of all their cash by the smuggling gangs.

Meanwhile, it has been confirmed the Naval Service is to get another new ship.

The Government has agreed a contract with Babcock Marine, Devon, to build the new vessel which will cost nearly €70m.