A Maltese-based cargo ship was this evening on its way home from Misrata four days after its captain had been seized in a dispute over a consignment of horses.
| There have been better opening sentences for a bit of journalism, but not many. |
David Bonello, the Maltese master of the Togolese-registered ro-ro vessel
| A fascinating term, redolent of the decadent mysteries of the Maghreb... |
Med Patron was held in the port after it was reportedly discovered that 19 of the 64 horses he had delivered from his vessel were dead.
| The mystery deepens. Did they arrive dead, or were their lively attittudes upon receipt subsequently revealed to be a foul ruse? |
It is unclear if he was also detained under any animal cruelty legislation or simply because of the deemed failure to arrive with the contracted 64 live horses.
| We join the journalist in his wondering... |
The Med Patron docked in Misrata on Tuesday. MaltaToday has reported that because of the disputed delivery, the ship was barricaded into its berth by other vessels until compensation of €100,000 was paid.
| Bullies, all of them, jointly and severally picking on that poor little ro-ro, which was just trying its poor best to make a living. |
It has not been possible to contact either Misrata Free Zone nor the Patron Group in Malta to confirm what settlement was reached and that Bonello had been released. |