VIDEO: LÉ Eithne arrives home: ‘This is the proudest day of my life’

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.

There were hugs and kisses, a few tears of joy and bundles of pride yesterday as the sailors disembarked from the Naval Service flagship following a nine-week humanitarian operation which saw them save the lives of 3,377 migrants from the Mediterranean Sea.

Amy Fox, whose husband Colm is a lieutenant on the ship, really pulled out all the stops. She got special mugs made for all the officers to commemorate the mission and her mother, Fran, was on hand to give out roses to the crew as they disembarked.