What appears to be debris from a devastating tsunami that hit Japan back in 2011, is now on the Oregon coast.
The tsunami followed the strongest earthquake ever to hit Japan, washing away entire buildings. Now, four years later, a 30 foot section of a boat has been found miles away along with a few underwater passengers.
Tim Becker reports.
ROB AND DEBBIE PARKS SPOTTED THE MUSSEL AND BARNACLE GLAZED MASS YESTERDAY-- FLOATING ABOUT TWO MILES OFF THE COAST OF NEWPORT.
(ROB PARKS/FOUND BOAT) "Over on the horizon I saw this flat black thing ..of course it was almost clear down under water."
WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU FIRST SAW IT OUT THERE?
(David Debelloy/Towed boat to marina) "I said here's another one..HAHA")
DAVID DEBELLOY SPENT SIX HOURS TOWING IT IN, AFTER BIOLOGISTS OKAYED THE MOVE, SAYING IT SHOULD POSE LITTLE--IF ANY--THREAT OF CARRYING INVASIVE SPECIES.
BUT ALONG WITH THE USUAL TRANS PACIFIC PASSENGERS LIKE MUSSELS, CRUSTACEANS AND OTHER ORGANISMS --
"THIS" BOAT--....DID HAVE SOME 'OTHER' LIVE STOWAWAYS..
"We have 20 yellowtail jacks and a striped beakfish."
FISH ---WERE LIVING IN THE CENTRAL HOLD OF THE BOAT.
"They were probably born outside of that boat but arrived in that boat as a half inch."
AND LOOK AT THEM NOW.
BIOLOGISTS WILL DNA TEST THE LARGER YELLOWTAILS TO DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE THEY'RE FROM.. BUT THIS STRIPED BEAK FISH-- "IS" NATIVE TO JAPANESE COASTAL WATERS..
THE BEST EVIDENCE YET, CONNECTING THE FIND-- TO THE TSUNAMI.
(DAVID DEBELLOY (I was like.. really? A lot of riders coming over.")
(JIM BURKE/DIR. OF ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AT OREGON COAST AQUARIUM) "Fish of that size in such a small hold. I don't know. I've never seen anything like it so it's pretty interesting and theyre in apparently good shape."
BETTER THAN THE OLD HUNK OF BOAT ANYWAY..
"Not the first one you've seen probably wont be the last"
DAVID DEBELLOY "No, I don't think it'll be the last. There's a lot of debris still out there from that."