Tsunami 'ghost ship' spotted

Tsunami 'ghost ship' spotted

Tsunami 'ghost ship' spotted, Japan Tsunami 'Ghost Ship Heads Towards US', The rusting fishing boat, set adrift in last year's Japanese tsunami, was found off the coast of Canada. A so-called ghost ship that has been adrift since the tsunami struck Japan more than a year ago has been spotted off the west coast of North America. Japanese trawler found adrift off Canada coast: A Japanese fishing boat has been found adrift of the coast of Canada -- over a year since it was swept out to sea in last year's March 11 tsunami.

The rusting fishing boat hulk was discovered by a maritime surveillance aircraft on contract to the Canadian government.

The 50ft ship, wallowing in large ocean swells, has been pinpointed as being 170 miles from the Haida Gwaii - formerly Queen Charlotte - islands.

The vessel, registered on the Japanese island of Hokkaido , was unmanned at the time of the disaster.

Canadian transportation officials are now monitoring the ship in case it becomes a hazard within shipping lanes.

The vessel was part of a huge debris belt that started drifting eastward from Japan across the Pacific Ocean after the magnitude 9 earthquake.

Up to 25 million tons of debris was created by the large quake and subsequent tsunami, according to University of Hawaii researchers .

Other investigators believe up to eight million tons of debris was ejected into the ocean, with up to two million tons remaining as flotsam.

Scientists said the debris patterns started as long tendrils before the field spread further.

The debris field is expected to reach America's west coast in two years' time.

However, the ship, due to its large bulk and windage, is expected to approach the coast much sooner.

"On its current trajectory and speed, the vessel wouldn't make landfall for approximately 50 days," Washington state senator Maria Cantwell said.

via: yahoo