LÉ James Joyce rescues 617 people off Libyan coast

The LÉ James Joyce has rescued 617 migrants some 40 nautical miles northeast of Tripoli, Libya.

Yesterday morning the Naval vessel located and rescued 165 people from three separate boats. The first operation involved 15 people on a wooden boat.

All were taken on board LÉ James Joyce, where they were given food, water and medical treatment where required.

In another operation in the afternoon – following a request from the Italian Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centre – the LÉ James Joyce rescued 452 people from eight separate vessels in the Mediterranean, bringing the total taken on board yesterday to 617. The ship was later tasked with transferring a further 140 migrants to the MV Assrou.

Tens of thousands of people have taken the dangerous Mediterranean route to Europe. Libya’s borders have become chaotic and porous since dictator Col Muammar Gadafy was ousted and killed in 2011.