In a remarkable find, a fisherman from Devon has recovered the first-ever reported Lego shark from a massive shipping container spill that occurred 27 years ago. Richard West, a 35-year-old fisherman based in Plymouth, made the discovery on Tuesday when he spotted the plastic toy shark on top of his fishing nets. The location of the find was approximately 20 miles south of Penzance.
West was trawling aboard the Defiant FY848, a vessel operating between Plymouth, Brixham, and Newlyn, in search of monkfish, sole, and doreys when he encountered the unique catch. He immediately recognized the toy as a Lego shark from his childhood, having played with similar pieces in a pirate ship set years ago.
The discovery was reported to the Lego Lost at Sea project, where founder Tracey Williams confirmed that the Lego shark was indeed the first ever recovered from the 51,800 lost during the infamous 1997 spill. The incident occurred on February 13, 1997, when a severe gale caused a freak wave to dislodge 62 shipping containers from the Tokio Express cargo ship. Among the lost cargo was a container holding approximately 4.75 million pieces of Lego, many of which were sea-themed.
Williams, who manages the Lego Lost at Sea project, noted that the Lego shark found by West was a dark grey one, adding that the official Lego inventory from the lost container included 22,200 dark grey sharks and 29,600 light grey ones. She expressed excitement over the find, stating that it was a significant moment for the project.
West shared his enthusiasm about the discovery, calling the Lego shark “priceless” and a piece of treasure. He was particularly thrilled to find the shark, stating that it was the highlight of his catch for the week.
Williams explained that the Lego sharks were part of various sets from 1997, including Shark Cage Cove, Shark Attack, and Deep Sea Bounty. She also invited anyone who has found Lego pieces from the spill to contact the Lego Lost at Sea project. The project is compiling a map of sightings to aid in a scientific paper on the impact and distribution of the lost Lego pieces.
Recent findings of Lego from the same spill have been reported not only in Cornwall but also in the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, Wales, and Ireland. The discovery of West’s Lego shark marks a significant milestone in understanding the long-lasting impact of the 1997 shipping accident.
