This time the ship concerned in the “Elbeik”, which set out from Tarragona to Turkey on 18th December but was turned away due to the suspicion that the 1,800 head of livestock on board could be suffering from bluetongue disease, the same reason for which the Karim Allah was denied permission to dock. Among other factors, the docks are not properly equipped to receive shipments of cattle and the special temporary facilities installed to deal with the slaughter of the 880 animals on the Karim Allah have already been dismantled. The most logical alternative, sources are quoted as saying, would be for the ship to return to Tarragona. The Murcian regional government and the town hall of Cartagena both protested vociferously about the losses for Murcian businesses and called for the Elbeik to return to Tarragona, not Cartagena. Igualdad Animal say in a press statement that the cattle on the Elbeik will all be slaughtered after being checked by health inspectors, although this is not being reported in regional media.

Source: Libya Today March 17, 2021 17:15 UTC