Those on the hunt for the fan-favorite YETI cooler this holiday season may want to consider booking a flight to Alaska after a cargo ship spilled hundreds of them in the ocean.
A massive shipment of 1,600 YETI hard coolers has begun washing up on the Alaskan and Hawaiian coasts after a cargo ship heading to British Columbia from South Korea overturned in Japanese waters. The cargo ship spilled 109 containers of the expensive coolers near Washington’s Olympic Peninsula in 2021.
“In early 2021, we were told by our shipping company that we lost roughly 1,600 YETI hard coolers when a container ship lost power and maneuverability during a storm, causing it to roll and lose a number of containers in Japanese waters,” a YETI spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
YETI’s are not cheap, with many of the popular coolers costing between $200-$500 with stainless steel variations listed for $900.
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All along the Gulf of Alaska, lucky individuals began happening on the brightly colored coolers down the rocky coastline a year after the cargo ship’s unfortunate loss.
“We started to hear reports of some of these coolers ending up on the shores of Alaska, Seattle and beyond late last year when fans posted their finds on social media.” a YETI spokesperson explained to Fox News Digital.
Lucky individuals began gleefully sharing their finds on social media, noting that many of the coolers were in great shape despite the great distance they had traveled.
Locals reported that they’ve been scavenging the coast over the last year for more coolers, rarely returning home empty-handed.
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Duke Marolf, a marine welder and bush pilot living in Seward, Alaska, posted an Instagram video sharing his haul of 23 YETI coolers. Marolf explained that after he heard about others finding the coolers in Alaska and Hawaii, he decided to take out a plane and see if he could find any himself.
“All of them are functional, some are definitely more beat up, missing strap handles or plugs in some cases,” Marolf commented. “Lots of beach abrasion.”
A YETI spokesperson said that the company is thrilled the community responded so positively about finding the coolers and that they are happy people are putting them to good use.
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“While most containers and their contents end up on the bottom of the ocean after capsizing, we weren’t surprised our products survived the journey in great shape. It’s still incredible to think how far they traveled,” a YETI spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “We are amazed by the positive response of the community who found the coolers and know they will put these near new YETIs to good use.”