Amid a sea of human misery there were heartwarming moments: The arrival of a new life and migrants singing happy birthday to a 21-year-old sailor who was happy to forego celebrating his milestone day to ensure they were safe.

183 people have been rescued from the Mediterranean by the Irish Naval Vessel the LÉ Eithne

A baby girl has been born on board the Irish ship the LÉ Eithne during a rescue operation.

Irish ship the LÉ Eithne has rescued 135 migrants from an inflatable craft off the coast of Libya.

A paperwork blunder has forced an Irish Naval refugee rescue ship to remain berthed in Cork Harbour, days after it was due to set sail for the Mediterranean.

Brownie points for dad dancing.

The humanity shown by the naval branch of our Defence Forces on the high seas in such difficult circumstances brings great credit to our country and will no doubt be officially recognised by government in due course.

The Defence Minister is preparing to extend the Irish Naval Service’s humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean beyond next month’s original deadline.

The personnel of the LÉ Niamh, and the LÉ Eithne before her, are a source of national pride as they continue their life-saving Mediterranean missions.

The migrants would not take the mushroom and vegetable soup the crew dished up to them, as they were suspicious of what was in it. So the naval service was forced to improvise quickly.

Irish Naval crew on board the LÉ Eithne used colouring books and toys to calm the fears of children they plucked from tiny boats floating dangerously in the Mediterranean.

The tugboat Gerry O’Sullivan sprayed arcs of water, other Navy ships sounded their horns in salutem and families cheered and waved flags on the quayside as the LÉ Eithne pulled into base.

Irish Navy vessels the LÉ Eithne and LÉ James Joyce were welcomed into Cork Harbour earlier today.

Families of the crew of the LÉ Eithne will welcome home their loved ones in Co Cork this morning.

Naval Service history was made yesterday as LÉ Éithne and LÉ Niamh saluted each other in the Mediterranean, with the former heading home and the latter on her way to rescue migrants trying to get from North Africa to Europe.

Families are expected to crowd the quayside in Haulbowline next Friday to welcome home the 69-strong crew of LÉ Eithne after a rescue mission which saw them pluck 3,376 migrants from unseaworthy craft in the Mediterranean Sea.

The tired crew of LÉ Eithne could leave for home as early as this weekend after rescuing 3,376 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea.

Defence Minister Simon Coveney has said he believes the crew of the LÉ Eithne are not under “any undue pressure” despite rescuing almost 3,000 people from rafts in the Mediterranean in recent weeks.

The Naval Service’s flagship LÉ Eithne had a record-breaking day yesterday when she picked up a further 647 refugees who were packed into two dangerously unsafe wooden barges.

The LÉ Eithne has rescued almost 600 people off the Libyan coast.

The LÉ Eithne successfully located and rescued a total of 519 migrants, off three separate vessels, 50 nautical miles north-west of Tripoli today.

Ireland will likely opt-in to EU arrangements to take a specific number of migrants who come to Europe illegally, to help take the pressure off frontline states such as Italy.

The Naval Service LÉ Eithne has conducted its biggest migrant rescue operation to date when it took onboard 467 adults and children who had been trying to reach the EU in a dilapidated wooden barge and rubber raft.

Irish Navy vessel LE Eithne has rescued 367 people from a wooden barge in the Mediterranean.

The wife of a LÉ Eithne crew member has described him and his colleagues as heroes in an emotional email posted to Facebook post.

Irish Naval vessel the LÉ Eithne is expected to dock in a port in Italy today with the 399 people saved from the Mediterranean in its latest rescue operation in the area.

Over 500 migrants have been rescued in the Mediterranean by the Irish Navy Vessel the LÉ Eithne this weekend.

At 5pm today, the Lé Eithne successfully located and rescued a small craft with 113 persons on board that was in distress 40 km north of Tripoli, Libya.​

The LE Eithne has rescued 12 migrants in distress around 30 miles north of Lampedusa in Italy.

LÉ Eithne was steaming towards the Sicilian port of Palermo last night with 410 migrants she had rescued from the Mediterranean Sea.

A baby, several women, and children were among 201 migrants crammed into five flimsy inflatable vessels who were rescued by Naval Service flagship LÉ Eithne 60km north of Libya.

Ireland's Navy flagship, LÉ Eithne, has been involved in its first migrant rescue in the Mediterranean.

The Naval Service’s flagship LÉ Eithne is today steaming close to Gibraltar on her way to the Mediterranean, where she is being deployed to save migrants from drowning.

The Cabinet has signed off on sending an Irish Navy vessel to the Mediterranean.

Irish naval vessel the LE Eithne has completed preparations sail to the Mediterranean - where it will take part in a mission to prevent further migrant ship tragedies.

The LÉ Eithne is expected to be given the order to deploy in the Mediterranean after next Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, at which Minister for Defence Simon Coveney will almost certainly get approval from colleagues to send it on a humanitarian mission to save drowning refugees.

More than 150 Naval Service personnel and civilian workers could have potentially come in contact with asbestos as the crisis deepens over the extent of exposure to the life-threatening substance.