A Boat Washed Up In Japan. When They Looked Inside, They Found 8 Decomposing Bodies.

Each day, all across the globe, thousands of trinkets and other mysterious finds wash up on shore. However, not all of them are as gruesome as what forensic scientists and detectives are investigating along the coast of Japan.

Last weekend a ghost ship washed up on the shores of Oga, Akita Prefecture during the early morning hours. More surprising than the shipwreck itself was what was found on board. The boat contained eight decomposing bodies scattered throughout the nearly 23-foot-long vessel. While initially believed to be a fishing boat that went off course, when the ship was recovered, there were no signs of fishing equipment.

After discovering the wooden ship, the conditions of the passengers would really throw a wrench in investigators’ gears.

Screenshot / USA Today

The fact that many of their skeletons were bare suggests that they were already halfway through the stages of decomposition in the active decay process. During active decay, much of the body’s tissues are lost through liquefaction caused by microorganisms. Because of the condition of the bodies, there is no way to determine the age or sex of the crew members on sight alone.

While much of the mystery surrounding the ghost ship is still unknown, it is widely speculated that the ship in question is from North Korea.

Screenshot / USA Today

The Japanese coastguard has confirmed that during the time of the ship’s landing, there were no Japanese ships reported missing. Another clue to the origins of the boat lies in a packet of cigarettes found inside the boat. It is believed that the cigarettes in question were produced in North Korea.

However, the washing ashore of the ghost ship is only the latest in unusual happenings along Japan’s coast.