The Naval Service ship LE Niamh boarded and detained two Spanish registered fishing vessels for alleged breaches of fishing regulations approx 30 miles South of Castletownbere late last friday.
The vessels were boarded shortly before midnight and detained at 01.35am. Both ships are being escorted under the authority of the LE Niamh to Castletownbere where they will be handed over to the Gardai; the vessels are due alongside in Castletownbere at midday.
These are the 4th and 5th detentions by the Naval Service so far this year, in 2010 the Naval Service carried out 1,666 vessel boardings which resulted in 70 warnings and eight detentions. [mappress] Source: military, June 14, 2011