Shetland Coastguard Finds Lost Oceanographic Data Buoy (UK)

A large oceanographic data buoy from Newfoundland has been found off Shetland after it went missing during Hurricane Igor in September 2010.

Shetland Coastguard was contacted by the stand by vessel Grampian Frontier reporting that they had recovered the large yellow one tonne bouy which had floated into the 500 metre exclusion zone around the Clair Platform.

Shetland Coastguard passed on serial numbers found on the equipment to the Maritime and Coastguard Agencys Receiver of Wreck who was then able to contact the owners of the buoy. The one tonne buoy is now ashore in Scalloway harbour awaiting collection by the owners.

MCA Receiver of Wreck, Alison Kentuck says,

“Lost data buoys such as this one are actually considered to be lost property rather that wreck. However, even when they have been off station for such a long time, they might still contain valuable scientific data, and the Receiver of Wreck will always try to get them back to their owner.

It seems that this one may have survived a hurricane and travelled a considerable distance, so it will be fascinating to see what oceanographic data it might have captured on its adventure.”

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Source: MCA , September 12, 2011; Image: Axys Technologies