Japanese trawler found adrift off Canada coast
- 12 years ago
This Japanese fishing boat went missing a year ago during the March 11 tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan.
The vessel has now been found adrift off the coast of British Colombia.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SAU SAU LIU, COMMUNICATIONS SPOKESWOMAN WITH TRANSPORT CANADA, SAYING:
"On March 20, a Japanese fishing vessel which was lost as a result of last year's tsunami was sighted drifting 150 nautical miles off the southern coast of Haida Gwaii."
The 50-metre-long ship was spotted by the crew of an aircraft while on routine patrol.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SAU SAU LIU, COMMUNICATIONS SPOKESWOMAN WITH TRANSPORT CANADA, SAYING:
"The Department of National Defence confirms that close visual aerial inspection and hails to the ship indicate there are no one on board. The owner of the vessel has been contacted and made aware of its location. Currently there are no reports of marine pollution from the vessel."
The boat is the first large piece of debris found as far away as the west coast of Canada since last year's earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 people in Japan.
Travis Brecher, Reuters
The vessel has now been found adrift off the coast of British Colombia.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SAU SAU LIU, COMMUNICATIONS SPOKESWOMAN WITH TRANSPORT CANADA, SAYING:
"On March 20, a Japanese fishing vessel which was lost as a result of last year's tsunami was sighted drifting 150 nautical miles off the southern coast of Haida Gwaii."
The 50-metre-long ship was spotted by the crew of an aircraft while on routine patrol.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SAU SAU LIU, COMMUNICATIONS SPOKESWOMAN WITH TRANSPORT CANADA, SAYING:
"The Department of National Defence confirms that close visual aerial inspection and hails to the ship indicate there are no one on board. The owner of the vessel has been contacted and made aware of its location. Currently there are no reports of marine pollution from the vessel."
The boat is the first large piece of debris found as far away as the west coast of Canada since last year's earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 19,000 people in Japan.
Travis Brecher, Reuters