Charter airline faces criminal charges over dead cattle

Leonard Neill POLICE INVESTIGATIONS are proceeding after the SPCA’s National Council laid criminal charges against a South African-based charter airline company and allied parties when approximately half of a consignment of cattle destined for Nairobi in December died en route. Charges were laid against Africa International, Zero Ground Services, the owner, exporter and stockmen involved in the shipping of the cattle. The flight left Johannesburg International Airport and flew to Luanda to offload cargo and make a fuel stop before flying on to Nairobi, where the live cattle were offloaded. The dead carcasses were returned to Johannesburg. An SPCA inspector confirmed to FTW this week that they were awaiting police reports on their investigations into the matter, including an allegation that the aircraft involved did not have the correct generator to maintain airflow. “We expect to be given these answers within the next fortnight and will know then if matters are to be taken further.”