Irish Naval Service ship bound for Mediterranean on mission to prevent weapons trafficking

Lt Cdr Alan Flynn, officer commanding of the LÉ William Butler Yeats at Haulbowline Naval Base in Cork Harbour ahead of its deployment to the Mediterranean as the Irish contribution to ENFM Operation Irini. Picture: Denis Minihane 

Final preparations are being made to send an Irish Naval Service ship on an overseas operation for the first time since 2018, with the 58-strong crew set to patrol the coast off Libya to prevent weapons being smuggled into the war-torn country.

The LÉ William Butler Yeats will depart for the mission on Thursday and take about a week to get to its area of operations.