That’s according to recruitment figures released by the Naval Service showing the years leading up to the operations and while they were underway. The Irish Government decided to send the Italians naval help in 2015 as part of a bilateral agreement, and this first mission was known as Operation Pontus. In October 2017 the Naval Service moved from Operation Pontus, this time joining an EU taskforce in a similar mission called Operation Sophia. At the peak of the migrant rescues, the Naval Service saved 8,592 lives in 2015 and a further 7,029 in 2016. According to Naval Service sources, the aspiration is to induct 120 recruits in 2019.

Source: Irish Examiner July 20, 2019 04:07 UTC