Due to Houthi attacks: thousands of sheep and cattle stranded off the coast of Australia

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Stuffed – and at 40 degrees. More than 16,000 animals, including sheep and cattle, have been on board the MV Bahijah, which is anchored off Western Australia, for almost a month. The ship could actually sail, CNN reports. There is no technical problem. But the crew does not dare to set sail. Because: The ship wanted to go to Israel – across the Red Sea. But that’s where the Houthi rebels lurk.

They have been attacking merchant ships in the Red Sea with drones and missiles since the war between Israel and the Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas began on October 7. Many shipping companies have changed their routes as a result. According to the UN World Trade and Development Conference, trade volumes passing through the Suez Canal have fallen by 42 percent in the past two months. In response to the attacks, the US and Britain have now repeatedly attacked Houthi positions in Yemen.

The decision could have been made a long time ago

On January 5, the MV Bahijah departed and left the Australian coast. But a request to divert the ship around Africa, as other ships have done, was subsequently rejected. Since then, a new route including permission has been negotiated. John Hassell, president of the Western Australian Farmers Association (WAFarmers), which represents the state’s farming sector, said a decision should have been made days ago.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said on Thursday it was still considering a request from the exporter to allow the ship to sail. The ship docked overnight at the port of Fremantle, near Perth, to pick up supplies, the statement said.

“Many of these diseases cannot be detected until it is too late.”

Despite calls from animal rights activists for the animals to be disembarked as soon as possible, no animals have been offloaded, the government said. Two independent veterinarians hired by the government inspected the live cargo on Wednesday and found “no significant animal health or welfare issues,” the government said.

Animal rights activist Suzanne Fowler can’t believe this. “These animals have been on board the ship for at least 26 days. The temperature in Perth is already reaching 40 degrees,” she told CNN on Wednesday. After such a long time, the animals could no longer be healthy. Time is running out. The authorities must finally find a solution. Fowler: “The stress on the animals will only increase in the coming days and the feeling of exhaustion that they can no longer cope with will only get worse. Many of these diseases cannot be detected until it is too late.”

Chairman Hassell of the farmers’ association again contradicts this. Dumping the animals would only cause more stress. And that’s not all: once they’re on land, they’re subject to strict Australian regulations. That means: immediate quarantine. How long is unclear. (ymh)

Source: Blick