#100rescued - Naval Service patrol ship LÉ Samuel Beckett this morning rescued more than 100 people, including two children, from an inflatable craft off the Libyan coast.

It is the second humanitarian rescue for the vessel, which took over from the LÉ Niamh at the start of the month as the Irish Defence Forces’ ship in the Mediterranean assisting with the rescue of migrants.

According to the Defence Forces an inflatable craft carrying migrants was spotted about 50km north-west off the coast of Tripoli.

For more The Irish Times reports with links to the LÉ Niamh which had carried out the humanitarian role until the 'Beckett' tookover in the same waters off north Africa. During three months on duty the crew of the 'Niamh' rescued more than 4,200 people.

The LE Niamh completed her deployment when she returned to a hero's welcome in Cork earlier this month.