North Korea boat carrying skeletal remains found near Japan coast

TOKYO, Dec. 20 (UPI) -- Another wooden boat possibly of North Korean origin was found near the coast of Japan, Tokyo's coast guard said Monday.

Two bodies were found on board the vessel discovered near the city of Sado in Niigata Prefecture, on the west coast of Honshu Island, local television network NHK reported.

According to the report, the coast guard discovered the boat Saturday as it drifted near the Japanese coast.

Investigators found two human skeletons and clothing on board.

The black wooden ship measured 10 meters in length and 3 meters wide. Inscriptions in the Korean language on the bow of the boat were found, the coast guard said.

According to the ninth region of the Japanese coast guard, a total of 14 boats from the Korean peninsula, including North Korea, have been discovered near Sado Island in Niigata in 2016.

In early December the coast guard also discovered a wooden ship off the coast of Kyoto that appears to be of North Korean origin.

In the course of investigations the coast guard found the skeletal remains of eight bodies on board, according to local press reports.

North Korean boats are increasingly being lost at sea, but some crewmembers survive to return to North Korea.

Last week South Korean naval vessels rescued eight North Korean nationals adrift at sea but all crewmembers said they wished to be repatriated to the North.

All fishermen were sent back across the maritime border Monday, according to Seoul's unification ministry.