Thousands of Cattle May Have Died After Livestock Carrier Capsizes Pierside in Brazil

Screen shot of video below

A livestock carrier loaded with cattle turned over alongside a pier at the Port of Vila do Conde in Barcarena, Brazil, reportedly killing thousands of cattle.

According to local reports, the ship, the Lebanese-flagged Haidar, had just loaded approximately 5,000 cattle and was departing for Venezuela when the ship started taking on water and eventually capsized next to the pier.

Photos and video of the scene show cattle scrambling up the side of the vessel and others swimming in the water.

The beef producer Minerva SA is now saying thousands of cattle are thought to have perished in the incident, according to a Reuters report. The producer said that responsibility lies with the shipping agents, Williams Shipping Agents, the report said.

The local port authority Companhia Docas do Pará is expected to launch an investigation into the incident.

The 6,449 DWT MV Haider is one of six livestock carriers owned by Tamara Shipping, based in Lebanon. The ship was built in 1994. 

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