Rescue Op underway after cargo ship with 14,600 sheep capsizes off Romania coast

A Saudi Arabia bound cargo ship carrying 14,600 sheep capsized in the Black Sea off the coast of Romania on November 24. Rescuers were able to save the crew of 20 Syrians and one Lebanese along with 32 sheep but the rescue operation is underway for the remaining sheep inside the ship’s hold. During the rescue operation, two sheep were reportedly pulled off from the water. 

Accusations of overloading

The Queen Hind left Romania’s Midia port for the Persian Gulf but overturned shortly after its depature. Acebop president Mary Pana, in a statement, reacted angrily saying they should ban long-distance transports if they can not save livestock. It was also alleged that the ship was overloaded and had engine problems. Romania, the third-largest ship breeder of the European Union, has been under fire for transporting livestock under extreme conditions. Every year, around 100 ships leave Midia for Middle Eastern markets and during hot summer months, they were risked with their life in terrible conditions.

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Letter to stop exports under extreme conditions

In July, Vytenis Andriukaitis, the then European commissioner in charge of health and food safety, took cognisance of the issue and demanded Romania to stop an imminent export of 70,000 Romanian sheep to Persian Gulf destinations. In a letter to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Romania, Andriukaitis wrote about the footage they received showing terrible conditions in which animals were transported by livestock vessels to the Persian Gulf during the summer.

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Sought guarantee for favourable conditions

Citing the measures announced by Romanian services not yet in place, Andriukaitis wrote, “No animal shall be transported unless it is fit for the intended journey, and all animals shall be transported in conditions guaranteed not to cause them injury or unnecessary suffering.”

“Means of transport, containers and their fittings shall be designed, constructed, maintained, and operated so as to: protect the animals from inclement weather, extreme temperatures, and adverse changes in climatic conditions,” he added. He has now asked the European Commission to investigate Romania's practices.

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(With Inputs from Agencies)