Tsunami 'Ghost Ship' to Be Sunk by Coast Guard

A derelict Japanese "ghost ship," sent adrift towards the US following last year's tsunami, is to be sunk Thursday by the US Coast Guard, which says it poses an "imminent threat."

The unmanned Ryou-Un Maru fishing boat will be sent to the bottom of the ocean by a US Coast Guard gunnery crew, CBC News reported.

"The Coast Guard has the primary responsibility for response to maritime threats, including hazards to navigation," according to a statement from Capt. Daniel Travers from Coast Guard District 17.

"This unmanned vessel poses an imminent threat to mariners and the environment," he added.

Ryou-Un Maru is approximately 164 miles (264 kilometers) west of Baranof Island, Alaska, according to the US Coast Guard.

It will be sunk by a 25-millimeter cannon fired from a Coast Guard Cutter. The vessel will be sunk with about 8,000 liters (2,113 gallons) of fuel on board, although the Coast Guard does not believe this will cause any problems on shore.

"The vessel is far enough off shore that if any product did enter the water, it would be dissipated naturally by the wind wave and weather patterns before it came it contact with sensitive areas on shore," Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Kip Wadlow told CBC.

He added that it would be too expensive to salvage the ship.

via Fox News