Panama’s ‘Crimson Polaris’ Ship Splits in 2 off Japanese Coast, Spilling Oil

A ship off the coast of Japan split in two, spilling oil into the ocean. The two halves of the Crimson Polaris could be seen foundering in the water near Japan’s Aomori Prefecture. Flying under the Panamanian flag, with a Chinese and Filipino crew, the Crimson Polaris was headed from Thailand with a load of woodchips. It was bound for Japan’s Hachinohe port. The nearly 40,000-ton vessel was anchored several miles from the port when the accident happened.