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In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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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In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
The deserted trawler was first spotted off the coast of Canada on March 24, having drifted thousands of kilometers across the Pacific Ocean.
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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.
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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.
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
The 'ghost ship' is among the 1.5 million tonnes of debris the Japanese government estimates was dragged out to sea by the tsunami.
In PHOTOS: Japan's tsunami 'ghost ship' sinks
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.
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