Irish navy involved in search and rescue operation in Mediterranean

The Irish naval ship LE Samuel Beckett has coordinated a search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean.

At 8.15am Irish time this morning, the vessel directed the Medicins Sans Frontiere ship Dignity 1, which took 100 people on board.

27 of those are women, three of whom are pregnant.

The Italian navy was also involved in the operation.

The LE Samuel Beckett has directly rescued 562 people since its deployment.