A combination of factors, including the deliberate sinking of wooden fishing boats, has resulted in a significant fall-off in the number of migrants being rescued by the Naval Service.

The Naval Service is set to expand its use of drones after their first deployment on an operational mission captured critical footage of a people smuggler changing his clothes to blend in with migrants.

The Naval Service is set to expand its use of drones after their first deployment on an operational mission proved an outstanding success, capturing critical footage of a people smuggler changing his clothes to blend in with migrants.

The crew of LÉ William Butler Yeats is fully trained and equipped to deal with a new role in Operation Sophia, according to the ship’s commander.

The Naval Service made its first migrant rescue this year as the weather improved off the coast of Libya yesterday, prompting people-smugglers to push thousands of frightened refugees, corralled for weeks in holding compounds, into deathtrap vessels onto the Mediterranean Sea.