The arrival of the 'Bahijah' in Haifa on April 6, 2024, has put an end to one of the most shameful episodes in Australian live export history. The animals on board, who have been subjected to a gruelling 34-day journey, were due to soon be offloaded at the port. The animals were subjected to before being offloaded back in Australia on Feb 15, to stand in feedlots for several weeks before departing again on March 3. In total, at 90+ days, this stood as one of the longest live sheep export journeys in Australian history. The Australian sheep and cattle were sent into the escalating conflict in the Red Sea region, turned around, sat for days in the sweltering heat off the coast of Western Australia, offloaded, sat in a feedlot for over two weeks, loaded on board again, and then sent on an extraordinarily long and treacherous journey around the Cape of Good Hope, known for its rough seas. The RSPCA was urgently seeking further information about the welfare of the animals on board and what actually happened to the animals involved across the entire duration of this saga due to the lack of transparency, the inability of regulations to protect animals, and the profit-at-all-costs approach, that are endemic to live animal export.
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MSC EURIBIA
In the night of April 6, 2024, a passenger on the 'MSC Euribia' had to be medevaced between Southampton and Hamburg by helicopter. After the medical assessment showed that the patient required further treatment in a hospital on land, the disembarkation was carried out shortly before 3 a.m. On April 7, the 'MSC Euribia' arrived at the Cruise Center Steinwerder in Hamburg for a partial passenger change.
SEVEN SEAS SPLENDOR
The Spanish Air Force medevaced a passenger from the 'Seven Seas Splendor' with a stroke 500 kilometers from La Palma on April 8, 2024. An air force helicopter based in Gran Canaria hoisted the patient, who was in serious condition. The emergency was attended to by an HD 21 Super Puma helicopter from its search and rescue service (SAR). The Air Force also activated a D4 VIGMA (Maritime Surveillance) aircraft from the same group, which provided the helicopter with wind information at altitude, allowing it to optimize its flight at the highest speed and lowest fuel consumption. The aircraft had previously made contact with the cruise ship to facilitate the helicopter's maneuvering upon arrival. Once the radio coverage was terminated, the satellite communications capabilities allowed the SAR air resources involved to maintain contact with the Canary Islands Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Center and thus coordinate in real time. Throughout the mission, contact was maintained both with the airport of La Palma, which had to extend its opening hours to support air resources, and with the maritime rescue, to update the ship and patient data during the mission and the health resources 112 of the Canary Islands to mobilize. With the patient on board, the helicopter flew to La Palma airport, where she was picked up by an ambulance from the Canary Islands Ambulance Service and taken to the island's general hospital.
CAPTAIN LEONIDAS
The 'Captain Leonidas', the largest ship to call at Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, has left the port of Yuzhny. This was announced by the Ministry of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure on April 6, 2024. The bulk carrier has started exporting 195,700 products of Ukrainian metallurgical companies. Since August 2023, the Ukrainian maritime corridor has exported more than 36 million tons of cargo. At the same time, 1,286 ships have already passed through the corridor, exporting 25 million tons of agricultural products to countries in Asia, Africa and Europe. Now 135 more ships are waiting to approach the ports of the Odessa region, which are expected to export 4 million tons of various cargoes. The performance of the Ukrainian maritime corridor has already exceeded the results of the grain agreement, which was terminated after Russia started its war against Ukraine.
QUEEN OF COWICHAN
Sailings of the 'Queen of Cowichan' between Metro Vancouver and Nanaimo saw major delays on the morning of April 6, 2024, after a medical emergency forced athe vessel to return to dock in Horseshoe Bay. The 8:25 a.m. sailing from Horseshoe Bay to Departure Bay on the 'Queen of Cowichan' turned around mid-voyage and returned to the mainland. As of 10:30 a.m. the vessel remained docked in Horseshoe Bay. The 'Queen of Cowichan''s next scheduled voyage was supposed to depart Nanaimo's Departure Bay terminal at 10:40 a.m. with the vessel is now operating 132 minutes late as a result of the earlier emergency.