Stranded Livestock Carrier Gets Under Way at Last
Animal advocacy groups have been raising the alarm over the situation aboard livestock carrier Spiridon II, which was stranded off the Turkish coast for weeks due to irregularities in paperwork. 58 cows have already died, with another 140 pregnant cows suffering miscarriages. Shortly after publication of a report on the situation by Sky News, the vessel weighed anchor and got under way.
Spiridon II was stranded in the Turkish waters for 24 days, and the authorities refused permission to unload the animals due to discrepancies in ear tag documentation. Rights groups called for the intervention of the European Union.
The carrier was anchored off Bandirma Port in Turkey, having left Uruguay on September 19 loaded with 2,901 animals and arriving in Turkey on October 22. As of Saturday morning local time, the vessel was finally under way again, making 10 knots and declaring her destination as Uruguay.
According to the rights groups, the animals have endured stress, hunger and exhaustion resulting in the deaths of 58 cows. Observers have counted 50 newborn calves on board, but 90 more remain unaccounted for, meaning their fate cannot be determined.
As Turkish authorities hold their ground, residents have begun to complain of odors. Rights activists are concerned that the animals have been deprived of adequate fodder, bedding, and potable water and are being forced to endure heat stress, dehydration and fatigue.
The Animal Advocacy & Food Transition (AAFT), together with Animal Welfare Foundation, Animals International and livestock shipping expert and veterinarian Dr. Lynn Simpson demanded EU authorities’ intervention. The groups sent letters to both the European Commission and the World Organization for Animal Health to push Turkish authorities to allow the unloading of the animals. (The fact that Turkey is not a member of the bloc means the EU lacks jurisdictional powers to force the unloading.)
“The tragedy aboard Spiridon II is yet just another example of the inherent risks of long-distance sea transport. Inadequate oversight, poorly maintained vessels, unpredictable port procedures, and weak enforcement combine to create an environment where animal suffering is routine and preventable deaths are inevitable,” said AAFT in a statement.
Built in 1973, the 4,000-dwt Spiridon II was converted to a livestock carrier in 2011. It is listed as having 4,000 square meters of space for animals. Its ownership is registered in Honduras, with management by a Lebanese firm. The ship has been registered with the Paris MOU "black list" flag of Togo since 2018.