Football swept up in Japan tsunami found in Alaska, returned to owner

Published Apr 23 2012, 20:09 BST  |  By Paul Millar

A 16-year-old boy has reclaimed his football which he lost in last year's tsunami.

Misaki Murakami's name was written on the ball, enabling him to be identified when it was found in Alaska's Middleton Island in the US.

Mukrakami told BBC News: "I'd never have imagined that my football could have travelled thousands of kilometres and make it all the way to Alaska.

"I was shocked but also I'm yet to recover any of my personal belongings so I'm very happy about this."

He added: "Not one of the items from my house has been recovered, even a year later."

David Baxter, who discovered the ball in America, fortunately has a Japanese wife who was able to translate the ball's inscription.

Japan's devastating earthquake in March 2011 killed thousands and destroyed the homes of many survivors.

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