Body of Pte Seán Rooney begins journey home
Members of the United Nations peacekeeping force carry the coffin of Irish soldier Sean Rooney who was killed on a UN patrol, during a repatriation ceremony at Beirut international airport. Picture: ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images
The body of a soldier who was killed in an ambush by a “hostile mob” while on UN peacekeeping duty in Lebanon is being flown home this evening.
Private Seán Rooney's remains are being brought home by the Irish Air Corps CASA aircraft which departed Beirut at 4pm local time (2pm Irish time).
Final respects have been paid in Beirut to Pte Rooney at a ceremony at Rafik Hariri International Airport.
His Force Commander General Aroldo Lázaro, thanked the peacekeeper's family, colleagues and his country for the honour of serving alongside him.
The Unfil head and other peacekeepers, members of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Ambassador of Ireland to Lebanon Nula O'Brien attended.
Pte Rooney's remains will be reunited with his family on Monday.
Pte Rooney, 23, was killed after he and his comrades, members of 121st Infantry Battalion, Unifil, were attacked at about 9.15pm Irish time, 11.15pm local time on Wednesday in a village just south of Beirut.
He was travelling in a convoy of two armoured utility vehicles (AUVs) carrying eight personnel from their base in southern Lebanon, northbound along the coastal highway to Beirut, when it encountered a roadblock in the Al-Aqbieh area, just outside the group’s area of operations.
Tragically, the convoy, which was on an administrative run, was escorting to the airport two soldiers who had been granted compassionate leave to return to Ireland following family bereavements.
The two white jeeps with UN markings came under small arms fire in Al-Aqbieh. One jeep managed to escape but the second jeep came under sustained fire and is believed to have crashed into a building and overturned.
Trooper Shane Kearney, 22, from Killeagh in East Cork, suffered serious injuries in the attack. Two other soldiers who received minor injuries in the ambush have been released from hospital and are back safely in UNP 2-45 (Irish Camp Shamrock).
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar reiterated his condolences to Pte Rooney’s family and friends and colleagues in the Defence Forces.
Speaking at an Irish Red Cross event for Ukrainian families in Dublin Mr Varadkar described the Irish UN peacekeeping mission’s work in Lebanon as “immensely valuable”.
He said arrangements were being made for an appropriate service.
He said it was important to understand the circumstances of the attack.
Three investigations are underway: one led by the UN, another by the Defence Forces and a third by the Lebanese government.
“I would have confidence in those investigations to find out exactly what happened, why an Irish soldier lost his life and another was severely injured,” Mr Varadkar said.
“It’s important that we do that. It’s also important that we avoid any speculation, I think at this point until those investigations are done.
“But the main thing I think this week really is to stand with and express our condolences to Private Rooney’s family, his friends and colleagues because it’s been a long time since we lost a soldier in combat in Lebanon. But it does remind us how important that mission is.”
Mr Varadkar said the Irish peacekeeping soldiers' efforts have allowed people “in that part of Lebanon for the last few decades to lead a relatively normal life which wouldn’t be the case otherwise”.
“It’s an immensely valuable mission, over 40,000 Irish people have served there, which is extraordinary if you think about it, and one that we’re very committed to,” the new Taoiseach added.
Speaking to RTÉ's on Sunday, Enterprise Minister Simon Coveney said Trooper Kearney is "doing well" given the seriousness of his injuries.
"The news there is more optimistic than it has been to date. He's making progress. He's breathing again now independently. His head injuries are being managed," said Mr Coveney.
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