Fisherman Reels in Lost Lego Shark

In a remarkable find, Richard West, a fisherman from Plymouth, Devon, has caught a Lego shark that was lost at sea nearly three decades ago. The discovery occurred on Tuesday, 20 miles south of Penzance, Cornwall, when West noticed the plastic toy atop his fishing nets. This particular Lego shark is significant as it marks the first reported recovery from the infamous "Great Lego Spill" of 1997, which saw over 52,000 Lego sharks lost when a cargo ship, the Tokio Express, lost 62 containers during a storm. West, 35, shared his excitement with the Lego Lost at Sea project, founded by Tracey Williams. He expressed his joy in a message, stating, “I’m so happy about it - it’s way better than any fish I’ve caught all week.” The vessel's skipper, Andrew Shaw, humorously noted West's enthusiasm, suggesting he might be a bit eccentric for being so thrilled about a toy shark. The incident that led to the loss of the Lego pieces occurred on February 13, 1997, when a powerful gale caused containers to tumble into the ocean off Land’s End, with one container alone containing over 4.7 million Lego pieces. Many of these pieces were themed around the sea, including the now-famous shark. The Lego Lost at Sea project celebrated the find, stating, “Oh my goodness – our very first Lego shark from the Great Lego Spill of 1997 has just been hauled up from the deep!” This Lego shark, although battered after 27 years underwater, is a unique piece of maritime history, representing one of the many toys that have been lost to the ocean.