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27 hunting dogs died in van, others were seriously injured during ferry crossing
The Balearic Hunting Federation has issued a statement expressing its sorrow over the deaths of 27 hunting dogs and serious inuries to more during a crossing between Barcelona and Palma on the "Abel Matutes". Only nine of the 36 dogs were still alive in a semi-conscious state, the others were found dead inside a van in the hold of the ferry that docked in the port of Palma on the morning of Nov 1, 2025, after departing from Barcelona. The Civil Guard took charge of the case, and Seprona opened an investigation to clarify what happened. Vehicles for this type of transport, which must be located in specific areas of the ship’s hold, have an adapted ventilation system and backup batteries to respond to a possible breakdown, but both the investigation carried out by the Civil Guard and the owners’ impressions indicated that the system didn’t activate and the dogs died of asphyxiation. The dogs' owners, who had hired a specialized company to ensure the animals' well-being. The journey from Lithuania to Barcelona proceeded without incident. The deaths occurred during the final leg of the trip to Mallorca. The dogs belonged to a group of owners from Mallorca who had spent several days in Lithuania training them for the woodcock hunting season. The investigation was focusing on how the van was transported during the crossing and the ventilation and temperature conditions inside the vehicle. SEPRONA (the Nature Protection Service of the Civil Guard) has taken over the investigation, gathered testimonies, and stated that its priority was to determine the chain of responsibility, if any, in the transport and custody of the animals. Upon the ship's arrival, the owners themselves alerted authorities to the situation, and the protocol was activated at the port of Palma. The investigation remained open and is awaiting the results of the necropsies, which should clarify whether there were deficiencies, and, if so, whether administrative or criminal charges should be filed. Reports with photo and video: https://www.diariodemallorca.es/mallorca/2025/11/01/hallan-muertos-27-perros-caza-123262480.html https://www.ultimahora.es/sucesos/ultimas/2025/11/02/2503739/estamos-destrozados-propietarios-lloran-perdida-perros-hallados-muertos-palma.html
Medevac off Mallorca
On July 25, 2019, a passenger had to be medevaced from the "Abel Matutes" with cardiac problem. Salvamento Marítimo tasked the helicopter Helimer 215 to take him off. He was hoisted and taken to the La Fe hospital in Valencia.
Ferry damaged in allision
On Feb 1, 2019, at 5.45 a.m. the "Abel Matutes" upon its arrival from Valencia allided with the commercial dock of the port of Ibiza during the docking maneuver. The ferry suffered damage to its stern which suffered a breach at the ramp above the water line. The ship which serves the Valencia-Palma-Ibiza route had arrived late due to a storm in the region and had attempted to dock twice without success. During the third attempt it struck the pier. Company technicians evaluated the damages. The stevedores of the port of Ibiza have moved the cargo onto the ferry "Sicilia" which was initially bound for Barcelona but has modified its route and headed to the port of Palma, thus covering the route of the "Abel Matutes". Repairs started at Valencia the same day at 9.30 p.m. and sailed again on Feb 4 at 10.10 p.m. The first departure from Ibiza was on Feb 5 at 4 a.m. to Palma, Spanish reports with photos: https://cadenaser.com/emisora/2019/02/01/radio_ibiza/1549010349_953754.html https://www.diariodeibiza.es/pitiuses-balears/2019/02/04/abel-matutes-dique-seco/1045236.html
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