Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Justice Simon Coveney met with the 68 Irish sailors and two army medics on board the naval vessel this morning, before its departure.
So far this year, almost 2,000 people have drowned, in the waters of the Mediterranean between Africa and Europe, as they attempt to flee war-torn countries.
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The EU has promised to clamp down on people smugglers who're running a lucrative business out of dangerously overcrowded boats.
They've also agreed to step up rescue efforts.
