06:33

Authorities in Western Australia have charged live export company Emanuel Exports and two former directors with animal welfare offences over a shipment to the Middle East in August 2017, in which more than 2,400 sheep died of heat stress.

Footage of the voyage was leaked by whistleblowers to Animals Australia and prompted the review of the heat stress standards for sheep export, which saw both the live export industry and the federal regulator place a ban on the export of sheep from Australia to the Middle East during the northern summer this year.

The charges follow an 18-month investigation from the WA primary industries and regional development department, which began before the whistleblower footage was leaked.

Emanuel Exports’ managing director, Nicholas Daws, said the company would “vigorously defend the matter in court”.

The court date has not yet been set.