The Naval Service has been given State clearance to return an illegal transatlantic immigrant to home territory this week. Weather permitting, Lieut Cdr Pearse O'Donnell will take responsibility for the immigrant, named Spike, at an undisclosed latitude/longitude off Dingle, Co Kerry, tomorrow. A special berth will also be transferred to the ship - a seawater tank equipped to hold . . . a loggerhead turtle.
The mission has been assigned to the patrol ship LE Aoife, under the command of Lieut Cdr O'Donnell.
Spike has not been informed of the development but the turtle has become an unofficial "Kerrywoman" since being taken into the care of the Dingle aquarium, Mara Beo, almost two years ago.
Mr Kevin Flannery of the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources, who helped to found the aquarium, believes the turtle is healthy enough to return to southern waters after she was washed ashore on Achill Island, Co Mayo.
"She has doubled her weight here after arriving in a very fragile state, and she is now ready to go and do what a loggerhead turtle has to do," Mr Flannery said. Spike has also become quite aggressive, so he is delighted that the Naval Service has risen to the challenge.
The LE Aoife is well familiar with warmer southern waters, having been involved in tuna patrols outside the 200-mile exclusion economic zone.
Spike breathes air but will need to be kept damp during the voyage south.
Mr Flannery is confident that the Naval Service crew will keep her content. "As long as there is no turtle soup on the menu for the next few days we'll all be happy," he said.
