A vessel suspected of being in a fleet that included an unidentified ship that sank Dec. 22 in the East China Sea after exchanging fire with Japanese patrol boats has returned to North Korean shores, according to well-placed sources.
The sources said the revelation was a result of analysis of U.S. satellite photos. The analysis by the Defense Agency showed the sunken ship was operating with at least one more vessel, according to the sources.
The sources said probably three ships had left North Korea's Nampo port and sailed in the East China Sea, acting like fishing vessels.