Livestock Ship Stranded off Türkiye Amid Animal Crisis

A 52-year-old livestock carrier transporting 2,901 cattle from Uruguay has been stranded off the Turkish coast since October 22 after officials refused to grant permission to unload due to issues with the animals’ ear tag documentation. The shipowner reported that at least 48 cattle have died, and remaining feed and water supplies are nearly depleted.

The Spiridon II has been anchored near the port of Bandırma, Türkiye. The Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF), along with Animal Advocacy and Food Transition, Animals International, and Australian veterinarian Dr. Lynn Simpson, have urgently called on Turkish authorities to allow the surviving cattle to be unloaded without delay.

“After such a long voyage, 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 the Animal Welfare Foundation.

Late last night, the vessel was permitted to dock briefly to take on limited fodder supplies before being ordered to return to anchorage.

“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. My suspicion is that water supplies will be very low or questionable in quality if made at anchor,” Simpson stated.

Speaking to media, Simpson described the ongoing “calamity” aboard the Spiridon II as clear evidence of “a flawed and failing shipping sector that desperately requires special consideration and greater international regulation.”

“These animals are already on day 53 of a stressful and fatiguing voyage, they need to be unloaded immediately,” she added.