A Port of Suakin Port says it fears “an environmental impact” in the Red Sea, as well as a disturbance in port activities.
Le Monde with AFP
More than 15,000 sheep died on Sunday June 12 in the Sudanese Port of Suakin, located nearly 800 km northeast of Khartoum. This port, in the Red Sea, is a commercial crossroads for many African countries.
“The ship” Badr 1 “was sinking very early on Sunday while it was carrying 15,800 sheep (…). All the animals died,” said a senior port official, who required anonymity. The reasons for the sinking of this ship which was heading for Saudi Arabia were not immediately known, but, according to him, the ship was “far beyond its maximum load”.
Another port official confirmed the incident, ensuring that the crew had been saved, but not animals. He said he feared “an environmental impact after the death by drowning thousands of animals” in the Red Sea, as well as a disturbance of the activities of the port.
above the maximum load
According to this manager, the ship could transport up to 9,000 animals, but changes had been made to increase this maximum load. “The ship had already transported 12,000 animals, but it is the first time that there were more than 15,000 animals on board,” he said.
The Port of Suakin is located 60 km south of Port Sudan, the country’s main. On May 25, his docks had been ravaged by a fire. An investigation had been opened to determine the causes. It is via Sudanese Red Sea ports that imports and exports of Sudan, Chad, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic transit, as well as South Sudan oil.
Sudan, one of the poorest countries in the world, has lost 40 % of its revenue in October when the international community cut its aid, in retaliatory to the coup of the army head, the General Abdel Fattah al-Bourhane.