Livestock Transport Vessel from Uruguay Stranded off Turkish Coast
The livestock carrier Spiridon II, carrying 2,901 cattle from Uruguay, has been stranded off the Turkish coast since 22 October. Upon arrival, the ship was denied permission to unload due to irregularities in ear tag documentation. According to a letter from the ship owner to the authorities, at least 48 animals have died so far, and feed and water supplies are running dangerously low.
The Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF), together with Animal Advocacy and Food Transition, Animals International, and the renowned livestock shipping expert and veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson, has appealed to the Turkish authorities to urgently authorize the unloading of the surviving animals to prevent further suffering.
“These animals are trapped in desperate conditions. After such a long journey, these cattle are exhausted, dehydrated and in urgent need of care. Every additional day at sea means further suffering,” said Dr Maria Boada Saña, veterinarian at Animal Welfare Foundation.
Australian veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson, who has accompanied more than 50 live export journeys, warned that the situation may soon become catastrophic:
“It is my experience that provisions of fodder, bedding and fresh water are likely to be low or non existent at this point with an unexpectedly extended voyage,” she says. In addition, reverse osmosis can no longer reliably produce fresh water near the coast due to the nature of particulate matter in the water closer to the coast compared to in deep ocean. “I suspect that water supplies will be very low or questionable in quality if made at anchor,” says Simpson.
Together with our partner organizations, we call on the Turkish authorities to prioritize the animals' survival over bureaucratic issues and order an immediate unloading.
“The fate of these 2,901 cattle is exemplary of the system of live animal exports on the high seas,” Boada Saña continues. “As long as such transports are permitted, these tragedies will continue to happen.”
The Spiridon II is currently anchored off the port of Bandırma, Türkiye. To our knowledge, the ship, which sails under the Togolese flag, currently transports mainly animals from South America to the Middle East and no longer has a permit to load animals in European ports.
„Das Schicksal dieser 2901 Rinder steht exemplarisch für das System der Lebendtierexporte auf hoher See“, so Boada-Saña weiter. „Solange solche Transporte erlaubt sind, werden sich diese Tragödien wiederholen.“
Together with our partner organizations, we call on the Turkish authorities to prioritize the animals' survival over bureaucratic issues and order an immediate unloading.
Download the whole press release here.
Find our letter to the Turkish Authorities here.
Our letter to the EU Commission can be downloaded here.
