Livestock stranded on small islands in Danube river outside Belgrade: Race against time for rescue

Up to 200 livestock have been stranded on small islands in the Danube river at Krcedin, a few miles outside Belgrade in Serbia, for several days.

Usually the animals can wade back to the mainland, but due to increased water levels in the river they can neither graze nor get away, Mileko Plavsic tells BBC.

According to the farmer, several of his animals have lost their lives.

Change of weather

The Danube snakes for 2,900 km through 10 European countries, from Germany via Serbia to the Black Sea. The reason for the increased amount of water was that mild temperatures and snow melting before the turn of the year.

On Tuesday, 60 cows were rescued from the flood.

Photo: AFP

This week the weather has turned. The farmers have now asked the authorities for help to get the animals to safety.

With freezing temperatures and a lack of food, a battle is now fought against the clock.

Boat trouble

On Tuesday, around 60 cows were rescued with the help of a special raft. The day before, food was delivered to the stranded animals by a special team from Serbian police, according to the Serbian Ministry of the Interior.

But further rescue attempts have been delayed due to a number of problems, writes the Serbian state-owned news agency Tanjug.

The stranded horses are not used to human contact. This creates challenges for the evacuation, writes the BBC.

Photo: AP

The first raft had to be replaced due to missing railings. The replacement boat then broke down.

According to the newspaper, a new boat was hired to resume the rescue operation on Wednesday.

2024-01-10 21:52:17
#Hundreds #cows #horses #stranded #Danube #River