Lost Shipment

[WAB]

Well I've been waiting to post this thread until the fat lady had sung. The shipment from our 2019 Zimbabwe safari with CMS finally left Harare early this year. The work had been done in Zim by Collett's Wildlife Artistry. For those naysayers on African taxidermy, Steve Collett is a Rhodesian trained in the US, and his work is some of the best in my trophy room. Anyway, back to the story at hand. This shipment routed to Johannesburg for shipment via Turkish airlines from JoBurg to Atlanta. I was notified of the Atlanta arrival and agricultural hold early this summer and then nothing.

My agent in Atlanta is Coppersmith Global Logistics. They advised patience as shipping and warehouse management is challenging at the moment. However, after 3 months and no sign of the cargo despite repeated inquiries with TA, we realized that we were likely dealing with a truly lost cargo and began to prepare ourselves for a claim. I engaged both Michael Coppesmith and Steve Collett in the search and told them to let Turkish Airlines know that the claim to be filed would be for the full cost of two safaris (my wife and I), flights and taxidermy. Turkish Airlines attempted a deflection, claiming that the shipment had been picked up by a trucking company. Coppersmith would have none of it by pressuring for the release paperwork which could not be produced. Eventually pressure from Jo'Burg and Atlanta forced the airline into letting Coppersmith's trucking company manager inspect the warehouse. Amazingly, the trucking company manager found the shipment in Turkish Airlines warehouse last week.

A huge shout out to Coppersmith Global Logistics and Collett's Wildlife Artistry for jumping into the fray and sorting this out. I was not looking forward to telling my wife that her buffalo had been lost!

On a side note, Delta is shipping trophies again but will not handle the Big 5. I have a large shipment in Jo'Burg ready to go from two other safaris. Rest assured that Turkish Airlines will not get their hands on it!

 

[sestoppelman]

Good that it got sorted. I used Colletts as well when last I hunted there, used them for the hunt also. The taxidermy part went OK.....

 

[yhc]

Glad Coppersmith Global was able to locate the precious cargo!! Good on them and especially for you WAB.

Regards,

 

[K-man]

Congratulations on a successful, if late, resolution. I have found many companies blaming covid and the supply crisis for everything when the actual cause is just plain incompetence and lack of follow-through. Glad you had someone helping track down and follow through. I would not want to break that kind of news to my wife, either.

 

[Sarg]

Great stuff, good to read of your success on finding your trophies / Shipment, well done all !!

I lost a bag in Gaborone a couple of years back & luckily I could go back to Airport next day to search for it myself, went into restricted areas & one part off to one side a large room stacked to the ceiling with suitcases & bags, I thought crazy all those people have lost their belongings just because no one went & looked hard enough ?

I found mine also some what closer to arrive hall !

 

[Andrew Short]

@WAB Im glad the situation worked out in your favor. Its a shame that major companies such as TA would allow for things like this to occur and shame on them for passing the blame. I will not give TA my business.

 

[enysse]

Congrats, after having to pick my last shipment from Africa up in Chicago last month I can see why things get lost. It’s the blind leading the blind. A lot people sitting around collecting a paycheck but no one really working.

 

[meigsbucks]

I’m glad you got it worked out. Kudos to Coopersmith’s. Mostly, I’m glad you didn’t have to tell your wife her Buffalo was lost.

 

[WAB]

Thanks guys, I was really concerned about my wife’s buffalo. It is hard to believe that they couldn’t find it in their warehouse for three months and someone from another firm walks in and finds it on his first try.

 

[gillettehunter]

Wow. What a mess. Glad to hear it worked out.
Bruce

 

[rinehart0050]

Glad that worked out in the end. I can't begin to imagine how furious/frustrated I would have been throughout that ordeal.

 

[slam8031]

So who (airlines are shipping big five from South Africa?

 

[R.M.C.]

I'm glad it worked out in the end!!! Good job by copper smiths to find it!!!

 

[Cam Moon]

That is crazy! When I was reading this I was thinking that the ending was going to be much different, and was already feeling for you. Can you explain more as to what happened? The crate was in Atlanta in TA's warehouse? Who notified you of arrival in Atlanta and the agricultural hold?

 

[WAB]

That is crazy! When I was reading this I was thinking that the ending was going to be much different, and was already feeling for you. Can you explain more as to what happened? The crate was in Atlanta in TA's warehouse? Who notified you of arrival in Atlanta and the agricultural hold?

Coppersmiths received the notice of arrival and Ag hold from Turkish and passed it on to me. That usually means 2 weeks to pickup. We started to become concerned at week 4. Luckily the notice had the container number on it. It sounds like they misplaced the entire container so I suspect our guy found some other shipments for them as well.

 

[Ravensview]

Glad it all Worked out, sounds like you picked the right people to handle the shipment.

 

[Cam Moon]

It would be absolutely heartbreaking to lose something like that. (I mean as far as material possessions go)

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Glad it was a happy ending!

 

[Randy F]

Glad you kept the right bird dogs on it. Congrats on the rediscovery, hope they’re home soon!

 

[rjacobherman]

I always use Coppersmith. The level of service is excellent