Boat adrift since tsunami in 2011 found off island near Tokyo
Coral-encrusted fishing vessel found washed up on Hachijo Island
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Nine years and nine months after the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Japan triggered a tsunami with 40m-high waves, a small fishing boat originally from the Miyagi Prefecture has been found some 650km (approximately 400 miles) away.
The vessel was discovered drifting near Yaene port, in Hachijo Island located south of Tokyo, on 10 December, according to Japanese media.
The local fisheries cooperative checked the boat’s registration number after it was brought to shore and found that it belonged to a fisheries branch in the northeastern city of Kesennuma, in the Miyagi Prefecture.
The 5.5m-long boat was encrusted with coral, with crabs and a fish found swimming in sea water inside the vessel, reported the Mainichi newspaper, sparking interest in the boat’s journey before it arrived at the island.
According to the newspaper, a resident of Hachijo Island who was an expert on ocean currents estimated that the fishing boat had been swept away to an area near the West Coast of the US before floating to Southeast Asia on he North Equatorial Current.
It then hitched a ride on the Kuroshia Current, which brought it to the island, said the resident.
Last September, a fishing boat that had been swept away from the Iwate Prefecture by the tsunami was found 1,900km away in the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.
The devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami swept over the Japanese mainland, killing at least 10,000 people, injuring thousands more and leaving around 2,529 people missing across 20 prefectures.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments