Sudan ship carrying 15,000 sheep sinks

The livestock were due to be delivered to Saudi Arabia

A ship carrying an estimated SAR15m worth of livestock sinks in a Sudanese port. The sheep were rescued, although some perished, officials say. Photo: Sudan News Agency

A ship carrying an estimated 15 million Saudi Riyals ($4m) worth of livestock sunk at a Sudanese port on Saturday, state news outlet Suna said on Sunday.

Director of Maritime Control, Captain Islam Babakr, told Suna the Badr I ship was transporting 15,800 sheep to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The surviving sheep were rescued off the vessel, although an unknown number have perished, Suna reported officials as saying.

The ship’s load of 507 tonnes was “appropriate” for the ship’s capacity, Captain Babakr said. He added that an investigation will be launched into the ship’s sinking.

The vessel sank just after setting off from the Osman Digna Port in the Red Sea city of Suakin.

Head of the meat exporters division, Khaled Al Maqbool, stressed the importance of conforming to load standards and ventilation requirements when transporting livestock. However, he did not specify the cause of the incident.

Mr Maqbool cited the lack of sufficient regulations and safety measures in the absence of a national carrier. He added that a level of experience is required for those supervising placement of livestock on the ship in a way that avoids causing them harm.

The ship had previously undergone maintenance in the Suez Canal, Mr Maqbool said.

The incident caused the port to briefly shut down, affecting the flow of imports and exports, the official said.