“We are witnessing one of the most serious violations of animal welfare and marine conservation in recent years,” says Maria Boada Saña, veterinarian at Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF).
The livestock ship Spiridon II, which transported nearly 3,000 cows from Uruguay, has unloaded animals in the Libya.
The vessel had previously been stuck off the coast of Turkey. Authorities refused to allow unloading due to irregularities in documentation.
After three days without any tracking signal, Spiridon II reappeared on November 22 in the port of Benghazi. Videos from the scene show the vessel docking, and satellite images from the next morning confirm the presence of animal transport trucks.
According to observers, trucks carrying animals left the port on Sunday, proving that some of the cattle were indeed unloaded in Libya, a country with no functioning animal welfare or transport monitoring system, AWF said.
The vessel left Benghazi again on November 24 and is now back at sea. Its latest declared destination was Alexandria, Egypt.
“The authorities must now immediately clarify whether there are still animals on board, where the animals are being taken, and what happened during the signal shutdowns,” Boada said.
No vet care in critical phase
The animals, including pregnant heifers, newborn calves, and sick or weakened cows, were left without a veterinarian during the most dangerous part of the journey.
A veterinarian had accompanied the shipment from Uruguay to Turkey but left the ship after it was denied entry.
The animals then spent weeks at sea under worsening conditions. There was no possibility to unload, clean the vessel, or properly care for sick or dead animals.
Suspected illegal dumping at sea
Between November 18 and 21, the ship turned off its signal. AWF investigators suspect that dead animals and manure were illegally dumped into the Mediterranean Sea during this time. This would violate international marine protection laws (MARPOL).
A satellite image from November 23 shows that white sacks previously stacked on the ship’s deck, believed to contain dead cattle, had disappeared by the time the vessel arrived in Libya.
Support The Animal Reader
The Animal Reader is an independent animal news platform based in the Netherlands. By becoming a monthly supporter, you help us investigate, report and keep animal stories in the news.
Support independent animal journalism. Help us give animals a voice in the news.
