AN IRISH NAVAL ship has rescued 269 people in the Mediterranean sea.
The LÉ Samuel Beckett located and rescued the migrants from two rubber vessels around 30 miles north of Libyan capital, Tripoli.
The Irish ship found one of the rubber vessels sinking, and three people were declared dead. Their bodies were recovered and are now on board the LÉ Samuel Beckett.
The rescue began at 12.18pm yesterday, with all migrants taken on board by 4pm.
The LÉ Samuel Beckett then joined an Italian Coast Guard boat where a further 160 people were transferred aboard the Irish ship.
The Italian Coast Guard also transferred the bodies of a further 11 people, who died during the rescue.
The 400+ migrants onboard the LÉ Samuel Beckett are receiving food, water and medical treatment, if required.
The ship rescued 140 people just north of Tripoli on Saturday morning.
According to the United Nations, at least 4,700 people have died or disappeared this year while trying to cross the Mediterranean in boats that are often overcrowded and barely seaworthy.
With reporting from AFP.
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