A corroding, Japanese tuna longliner is sinking in the port of Manta, off the coast of Ecuador.
The 379 GRT vessel, named Tatsumi Maru 56, first showed signs of a slight tilt on the morning of Jan. 3 and by the afternoon, it had sunk between 10 and 12 feet deep.
Tatsumi Maru 56 is 47.2 meters in length and has been authorized to fish in the Indian Ocean since August 2003. The vessel is owned by Tatumisuisan Co, located in Fukushima, Japan.
According to local reports, 15 other vessels have already sunk in the port’s area.