Lost Loch Ness Monster Camera Found After 55 Years In Deep Ocean

A long-lost underwater camera system, originally deployed 55 years ago in an attempt to capture images of the fabled Loch Ness Monster, has been found by accident at the bottom of the famous Scottish loch.

The remarkable discovery was made by Boaty McBoatface, an autonomous underwater vehicle operated by the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), while it was conducting trials in Loch Ness. The submersible’s propeller unexpectedly snagged on the mooring of the decades-old camera, leading to its recovery.

A Piece of Nessie-Hunting History

Experts believe the camera was one of six lowered into the loch in the 1970s by the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau (LNIB), an organization dedicated to proving the existence of the legendary creature. Three of these cameras were reportedly lost during a gale, and until now, their fate remained unknown.

Adrian Shine, a veteran researcher from The Loch Ness Project, identified the recovered device and explained its unique design.

“It was an ingenious camera trap consisting of a clockwork Instamatic camera with an inbuilt flash cube, enabling four pictures to be taken when a bait line was triggered,” Shine said. “It is remarkable that the housing has kept the camera dry for the past 55 years, lying more than 130 meters (426 feet) deep in Loch Ness.”

What Was Found on the Camera?

Despite high hopes that the camera might contain long-lost images of Nessie, no photos of the elusive creature were found. However, one of the NOC engineers successfully developed a few images from the film, revealing the murky depths of the loch.

The camera, its housing, and the recovered film have now been handed over to The Loch Ness Centre in Drumnadrochit, which will preserve and display them as part of its ongoing efforts to document the history of the legendary monster hunt.

Unexpected Find During Scientific Research

The National Oceanography Centre has been using Loch Ness as a testing ground for its autonomous underwater vehicles due to its deep waters—Loch Ness reaches depths of 230 meters (754 feet), making it an ideal training site before deploying the technology in the open ocean.

NOC’s Matt Kingsland acknowledged the accidental nature of the find but expressed excitement over recovering such a significant artifact.

“While this wasn’t a find we expected to make, we’re happy that this piece of Nessie-hunting history can be shared and perhaps, at least, the mystery of who left it in the loch can be solved,” Kingsland said.

A Renewed Search for Nessie

The discovery of the camera comes at an exciting time for Loch Ness enthusiasts. Earlier this year, The Loch Ness Centre reported the first potential sighting of Nessie in 2025. A man on the shores of Dores Beach allegedly captured a mysterious image on January 29, prompting analysis by experts.

The center has also announced a large-scale search effort, The Quest, scheduled for May. Volunteers will monitor the loch from 13 locations over six hours, while a hydrophone will be used to listen for unusual underwater sounds.

Boaty McBoatface, the robotic sub responsible for this unexpected discovery, is part of a $300 million British research initiative. The yellow submarine gained worldwide fame in 2016 when an online public vote overwhelmingly chose the humorous name. While UK officials deemed it unsuitable for a major research vessel—naming the ship RRS Sir David Attenborough instead—the moniker was given to one of its autonomous submersibles.

Beyond Loch Ness, Boaty McBoatface is used to study deep-sea environments, mapping marine life and investigating how climate change affects ocean ecosystems.

Although the recovered camera did not bring definitive proof of the Loch Ness Monster, its rediscovery reignites public fascination with the enduring mystery.

“It’s been over 90 years since the first sighting of Nessie,” said Nagina Ishaq, General Manager of The Loch Ness Centre. “Since then, many expeditions have tried to find the elusive beast. As guardians of this unique story, we remain committed to unveiling the mysteries that lie beneath the famous loch.”

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