WNAM Monitoring: A ship carrying 16,000 sheep and cattle that had been stranded off the coast of Australia in extreme heat has returned to a Perth port.
Last month, the MV Bahijah abandoned its journey through the Red Sea – where Houthi fighters in Yemen have been attacking ships – leaving the animals stuck on board for weeks.
The vessel had remained at sea pending an Australian decision on whether the livestock could be offloaded. Officials cited biosecurity risks.
On Thursday, Australia’s agriculture department said that veterinarians who had examined the animals found no “significant health, welfare or environmental” concerns and that it was determining its next steps.
Australia’s government says its biosecurity rules, some of the toughest on the planet, have kept the country free from many of the world’s most invasive pests and diseases.
The incident highlights the far-reaching consequences of recent attacks on ships by Houthi militia, who are backed by Iran.
The vessel in question was bound for Israel when it set sail from Fremantle in Perth on 5 January. The animals were among hundreds of thousands sent from Australia to the Middle East every year.
The government says it told the ship to return to Australia on 20 January, citing the “exceptional circumstances” at work.
