LE Niamh returns from rescuing refugees in the Mediterranean

Update 1.07pm Leading Seaman Alex Casey has been speaking to Cork's 96FM about an operation in which the crew managed to save over 350 refugees after a boat capsized.

Leading Seaman Alex Casey has been speaking to Cork's 96FM about an operation in which the crew managed to save over 350 refugees after a boat capsized.

He says he successfully revived an unresponsive child.

"As we pulled in a young family there was a young infant as well, she was non-responsive so I carried out CPR on the child," Mr Casey said.

"She became responsive and came back and as we were making our way back to the ship again she went unconcious again so I just revived her again with CPR and gladly the child came back again."

Friends and family of the crew of the LE Niamh have turned out to welcome the naval officers home in Co Cork.

The ship arrived back in Haulbowline this morning.

It has returned from the Navy's second humanitarian mission in the Mediterranean where the crew rescued over 4,000 refugees.

Speaking to Cork's 96FM before the ship arrived Michelle Connell, the sister of medic Paul Connell, said she can't wait to see her brother.

“I haven’t seen him for 10 weeks at least, well 12 in total because it takes a week to go out and a week to come back, so I’m looking forward to giving him a big huge cuddle,” She said.

Excitement is building in Haulbowline the LE Niamh is now in sight @RedFMNews pic.twitter.com/MYi5i0MhTJ

— Fiona O'Donovan (@Fiona_ODonovan) October 2, 2015

Families of LE Niamh crew members gather on the Haulbowline quayside as ship arrives back from the Med #cork #navy pic.twitter.com/XOyXUNfMie

— ralph riegel (@ralphriegel) October 2, 2015