With a fresh paint job and eager crew, Naval Service vessel makes final preparations for EU mission

The smell of fresh paint filled the air aboard the LÉ William Butler Yeats on Tuesday as its crew made the final preparations before departing for the southern Mediterranean.

Sailors not involved in applying a new layer of grey paint to the Offshore Patrol Vessel were busy loading supplies in advance of the six-week mission, the Naval Service’s first international tasking since 2018 and only its third overall.

“Duty watch: muster investigate and report” said a voice from the ship’s speakers as the ships fire systems were tested. In the waters alongside, sailors got in some final practice with the ships’ boarding vessels.

These boarding vessels, which are known as Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats or Rhibs, will be central to the Yeats’ contribution to Operation Irini.

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“How is she?” an officer called down to one of the Rhib’s operators. “She’s grand. I’m just going to give her one most blast,” he replied before speeding off again.

Named after the Greek god of peace, Irini is an EU naval mission established in 2020 to enforce the UN arms embargo of Libya, part of international efforts to stabilise the political situation in the war-weary country.

The job of the Yeats’ 58-strong crew (which includes five women) will be to intercept merchant ships suspected of smuggling arms into the country and deploy search teams on Rhibs to inspect their cargo.

This is done with the consent of the vessels’ owner and the country where it is registered, explains Lieutenant Commander Alan Flynn who captains the ship.

“Searching is a specific skillset. You need to know the layout of the ship, how things are stored, where to find hidden holds and things like that.”

Irish crews have experience in this thanks to their day-to-day roles of inspecting fishing vessels in Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Irish sailors are also particularly adept at handling small craft such as the Rhibs, says Flynn.

“We do it regularly, day-in, day-out in the Irish EEZ where the weather conditions aren’t great.” The calmer waters of the Mediterranean should pose little challenge.

It’s Flynn’s third overseas deployment. He has taken part in Operation Pontus in 2015 which was tasked with rescuing migrants attempting to make the dangerous crossing to Europe and Operation Sophia which attempted to interrupt the activities of human traffickers.

But for most of his crew, Irini will be the first international operation.

It will be a more “robust” mission than Pontus, the captain says. But the boardings are expected to be friendly and professional, says Leading Seaman Clodagh Bradshaw, a communications specialist who doubles as a member of the boarding party. “We will ask a few questions and keep it as peaceful and friendly as you can.”

At six weeks, the mission will be considerably longer than the typical maritime security patrols carried out by the Naval Service off the Irish coast. When not on a tasking the crew will be involved in training or the never-ending task of maintaining a hunk of metal in an ocean of saltwater.

There are some comforts, says Lieutenant Aaron Nutley, the ships second in command. The Yeats, which launched in 2016, is more spacious than older naval ships and the food at sea tends to be good. “If you cook a bad meal there’s not really anywhere to hide,” he jokes.

Some sailors bring computer game consoles which they can hook up. Nutley himself prefers to read. There probably won’t be much time for any sunbathing, but the crew can expect a short break in Malta.

As well as contributing to the stabilisation of Libya, military authorities hope the Yeats’ deployment will help rejuvenate the beleaguered ranks of the Naval Service which has seen large numbers of personnel leaving for better pay and conditions in the private sector.

“This deployment is crucial to the regeneration of Ireland’s Navy and is directly linked with our efforts to recruit, retain and incentivise seagoing,” Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Seán Clancy said on Tuesday.