The LÉ Eithne, which has worked on a humanitarian search-and-rescue operation coordinated by Italy, along with other European ships and other vessels, including a privately run operation based in Malta, the Migrant Offshore Aid Station, berthed in Grand Harbour yesterday prior to its return to Ireland to be replaced by  LÉ Niamh at the end of the month.

Since its deployment in May, it has conducted 22 operations and rescued 3,376 people - 2,664 men, 533 women, 179 children - from craft ranging from barges to wooden boats to dinghies.

They were among an estimated 150,000 who have embarked in unseaworthy and overcrowded craft from the Libyan coast so far this year.

The vessel was this morning visited by three Irish ministers - Minister for Defence and Marine Simon Coveney, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald and State for Development Minister of State for Development Seán Sherlock.

They flew purposely to Malta to pay tribute to the crew for their humanitarian work.

Mr Coveney said that an unfair burden had been placed on countries in the region and Ireland wanted to do its part in helping to ease the burden.

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