The Seafarer's Union is questioning the timing of the ill-fated live export voyage that's left 40 people missing presumed drowned and 6,000 cattle dead off the coast of Japan.
New Zealand’s Veterinary Association is also raising concerns, saying the welfare of all animals leaving our shores is paramount.
There is mounting concern here over why the ill-fated ship left Napier three weeks ago in the middle of typhoon season in Southern Asia.
“Makes you wonder why they actually went that way because prior to going, the typhoon was actually there,” Joe Fleetwood of NZ’s Maritime Union said.
Mr Fleetwood says the size and height of the vessel, along with so many ventilation holes on each level, made the voyage particularly dangerous
“So once it tipped over, it would've just been a natural sense of force just pulling water into the vessel and you know maybe 15- 20 seconds you know it may have been gone underwater, fully submerged,” he said.
It’s a scenario devastating to vets nationwide.
“It's the sort of the news that you don't expect to receive and it is actually a bit difficult to reconcile thinking through what would've happened,” NZVA chief veterinary officer, Helen Beattie, said.
All live exports are now halted in the wake of the tragedy, with vets wanting greater oversight into what's happening onboard.
“What we don't have is an understanding of what the journey actually looks like from start to finish and how the welfare of the animals is affected during that whole process,” Ms Beattie said.
The National Veterinary Association are among 3500 parties making submissions to an official review of the live animal trade, which includes sheep, goats and deer.
Jacinda Ardern is offering full support to the families of the two missing New Zealanders, whose identities are yet to be made public.
“Obviously, key for us will be making sure that they're getting as much information as we can,” she said.
Maritime New Zealand also wants information but that may be some time away with an offshore investigation yet to be carried out.
"We won't be directly engaged but if Panama calls on us for assistance, in terms of info we might have about the ship, it's visit to nz, or anything we were able to provide, then we would certainly do that,” Keith Manch, chief executive of Maritime New Zealand, said.
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