Chinese junk smashed by tanker hit-and-run on last leg of historic journey

The Chinese junk ship Princess Taiping, which was on a trip across teh Pacific to show how Asian sailors might have been able to reach North America before Columbus, has come to a tragic end. Just 30 miles off the coast of Taiwan, it's final destination point, the junk was run down and sunk by a 560-foot-long Liberian tanker. The tanker did not stop to help. "In the dark of night, I could see that dark hull. ... I could hear our people screaming, 'No! No!' I just couldn't believe it," The captain of the junk, Nelson Liu, told SF Gate. Luckily, Princess Taiping was equipped with an emergency beacon, and the coast guard swooped in to rescue all 11 crew members. They were shaken, but happy to be alive. No investigation into the matter is currently planned. Source: SF Gate