In its first mission as part of the new EUNAVFOR MED “IRINI” operation, a Fairchild Dornier SA-227D aircraft departed from Sigonella air base on Sunday morning and conducted a 6-hour patrol mission off the coast of eastern Libya.
The main goal of the IRINI operation is to support the implementation of the UN arms embargo on Libya. It does so by using maritime, aerial and satellite assets to monitor shipments of arms and other illicit activities in the Mediterranean.
Alongside its main objective, the operation has a series of secondary tasks. It will provide monitoring and surveillance to prevent illegal oil exports from Libya, in addition to capacity building and training for the Libyan Coast Guard and Navy to support the fight against human trafficking networks.