Fisherman finds rare Lego shark from 1997 spill, first reported piece in 27 years

A fisherman in the United Kingdomreeled in a rare Lego shark27 years after it went missing from a container of shipping cargo in the 1990s.

The toy is one of the fivemillion pieces lostinthe "Great Lego Spill of 1997," when a freak wave hit a cargo ship called the Tokio Express off the coast of Cornwall. The pieces from the spillstill washup on shoretoday.

The 35-year-old fisherman,Richard West, found the lost shark 20 miles south of Penzance on Tuesday (Aug 6). He latercontacted the project Lego Lost at Sea, whose founder Tracey Williams confirmed the piece to be the first-ever reported shark from the spill.

West said, "It's way better than any fish I've caught all week. I'm so happy about it."

The fishermansaid he pulled the object from on top of his fishing nets while aboard the Defiant FY848 on a mission to catch monkfish and sole.

"I could tell straight away what it was because I had Lego sharks in the pirate ship set when I was little. I loved them," West told the BBC. "It's been 25 years since I've seen that face."

The plastic object, called Sharky by West, is worn out by time submerged for over two decades. It is also missing the dorsal fin. The Lego models remainunder the sea asthey waste away into smaller and smaller pieces beforefinally turning into microplastics.

Williams said the sharks were in sets released in 1997 such as Shark Cage Cove, Shark Attack, and Deep Sea Bounty. The official Lego inventory stated that there were 22,200 dark grey Lego sharks and 29,600 light grey sharks inside the missing container – a total of 51,800 sharks.

"Richard and I now have joint custody of the shark," Williams added.

Most of the pieces found in the container have sea themes, as seen in rafts, scuba tanks, cutlasses, flippers, and seagrass.

Williams started the Lego Lost at Sea project as a "bit of fun" during the summer holidays, but over 80,000 Facebook and X followers later, Williams has united a global community of beachcombers monitoring where the Lego and other cargo spills are turning up. She also published a book in 2022 showcasing her work.

The project has also helped to put a spotlight on the waste that fills Britain's beaches and serves as an archive of our times, said Williams. "It's inspired the public into beach cleaning and other environmental action," said the project's founder, adding, "and it helps explain things like ocean currents and the dangers of plastic pollution.

Although so much plastic on the beach can be overwhelming, sorting through it can be strangely cathartic. It's order from chaos." Williams has already started mapping the finds for a scientific paper on the spill, and she urges anyone who has found any of the pieces to get in touch with Lego Lost at Sea.

(With inputs from agencies)