Caught on board the potentially infectious vessel with limited supply of food and water are 12 crew members. They reportedly have several times tried to flee the stinky ship, but were forced to go back by Ukrainian coastguards.

Now a row is underway over who is to clean up the mess on board. Ukrainian officials stay firm that the problem is not theirs to solve, despite the freighter being under Ukrainian flag.

“The cargo has no documents, and regional veterinary services have no grounds to go on board. The law says a vessel with meat, which turns out to be spoiled or dangerous, should be reclaimed by the owner or returned back,” said Ivan Gurenko, deputy head of veterinary directorate for Crimea.

Ukrainian officials say the stinky ship may stay where it is all summer long, even though it may spook off the many tourists from Russia and Ukraine visiting the region.

Meanwhile the firm, which delivered the smelly load, seems to have vanished, and for good reason. Not only will disposing of the rotten meet, which must involve the use of port equipment, cost them a healthy sum, but also the cargo appears to have proverbially smelled bad even before it was loaded on Beriks, says Svobodnaya Pressa. The pork has no expiration date on the crates at all, while the rest of the cargo was overdue three years ago.