In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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The United States coast guard used a cannon to sink a derelict and fuel-laden Japanese vessel that drifted to Alaska after the March 2011 tsunami.
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Image: Japanese fishing vessel, Ryou-Un Maru, shows significant signs of damage after US coast guard cutter Anancapa fired explosive ammunition into it, about 290 km west of the Southeast Alaskan coast on April 5
Photographs: Reuters
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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The deserted trawler was first spotted off the coast of Canada on March 24, having drifted thousands of kilometers across the Pacific Ocean.
Image: Ryou-Un Maru burns after US coast guard fired explosive ammunition at the vessel
Photographs: Reuters
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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The Ryou-Un Maru stayed afloat for several hours, listing and ablaze, after the coast guard opened fired with a 25mm machine gun. A few hours later the coast guard finished it off with artillery rounds, The Guardian reported.
Image: US Coast Guard Cutter Anacapa crew douses the adrift Japanese vessel with water after a gunnery exercise
Photographs: Reuters
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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The boat had no lights or power and was considered a danger to other ships. The crewless ship is believed to have been carrying more than 9,000 litres of diesel fuel.
Image: Petty Officer 2nd Class Manuel Izquierdo and Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Kelly prepare to drop a self locating data marker buoy near the Japanese fishing vessel in the Gulf of Alaska
Photographs: Reuters
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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The 'ghost ship' is among the 1.5 million tonnes of debris the Japanese government estimates was dragged out to sea by the tsunami.
Image: Ryou-un Maru drifts northwest approximately 164 miles southwest of Baranof Island, in the Gulf of Alaska, in this US coast guard handout photo from April 4
Photographs: Reuters
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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The Japanese owners of the ship had said they did not want it back. Early Thursday, a Canadian crew had tried to save it, but after a closer inspection they abandoned the idea and the operation to sink the ship began.
Photographs: Reuters
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