Wooden Boats With Dead Bodies Continue Washing Up On Japan's Shores

An eerie mystery

Katie Krynitsky in Ideas on Dec 8, 2015

Recently, an oddly large number of unidentified wooden boats, commonly referred to as "ghostly wrecked ships" have been found suspiciously drifting along Japan's coastline, and they have all had dead, decaying bodies or remains aboard.

According to The Associated Press via CBS News, Japanese officials found 10 bodies in three different washed-up boats off the coast of Ishikawa on November 30. Two days later, another wooden boat was found 62 miles offshore in the Sea of Japan, holding six skulls, one nearly intact body with a head, and various other bones and remains.

Most of the bodies that continue to be found in these mysterious ships have decayed to the point where it is almost impossible for forensics analysts to determine their cause of death.

This year alone, 34 wooden boats have drifted near the shores of Japan carrying decaying bodies; 11 of these boats have been discovered from late October till now.

Although these strange arrivals have drawn recent attention, the boats are actually not out of the ordinary. Dozens of such wrecked boats are found drifting toward Japan every year, but the increasing number of ships and dead bodies has brought the stories to the media.

So... where are these strange wooden boats coming from? And who was aboard?

Coast guard officials continue trying to solve the mysterious pattern, but have assumed the boats are from North Korea based on the writing, "Korean People's Army," found on the side of one of the discovered ships. This phrase has created multiple theories and hypotheses among researchers trying to figure out the origins and purposes of the ships.

Investigators have suggested these boats carrying decaying bodies may belong to North Korean fisherman who sailed too far from their port. (But wouldn't you think after dozens of ships never returned, there would be an investigation on their part?) Others have presented the idea that it could be the common people's attempt to escape the communist state.

Maritime expert Yoshihiko Yamada, who speculates that the boats are from North Korea, told CNN, "[The boats] are made of wood and are old and heavy. They can't travel very fast and the engines are not powerful enough to turn the ships against the currents."

CNN reported that two of the bodies were discovered without heads, and all the bodies had decomposed. Now that smells a little fishy; personally, I think severed heads seem extreme for fishermen who accidentally drifted too far from home.

The mystery continues as more and more boats are found near the coast of Japan.

Katie Krynitsky

Summers in Ocean City, school at CNU in Newport News, and holiday breaks at home in Northern Virginia. And I can take writing with me wherever I go.

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