Suspicious buoy discovered in the Chukchi Sea
During the Russia 360 expedition, its participants found in the Arctic icea huge yellow buoy with inscriptions in English. It is presumably a data acquisition device of unknown origin. Expedition member Bogdan Bulychev reported on the unusual find on social media.
On January 25, 2024, the group set off from Murmansk heading east. Prior to this, the expedition traveled along the entire Russian coast of the Arctic Ocean and visited Dikson and the northernmost point of Eurasia, Cape Chelyuskin. On the easternmost section of their route, not far from the border between Russia and the USA, the group discovered a suspected spy buoy. The device was located on the shore of the Chukchi Sea.
Bogdan Bulychev: “Shortly before entering Chukotka, we were informed by border guards that different buoys are regularly found on the coast and in coastal waters. They differ both in color and design. However, they are all equipped with modern electronics.”
Taking this warning into account, the expedition members kept an eye out for suspicious objects. One such discovery was not long in coming.
The yellow buoy covered in snow was discovered about 150 km from the US border, in the westernmost area of the Chukchi Sea. As the expedition members approached, they realized that it was a buoy frozen in the ice. It took 20 minutes of work, an ice pick, a shovel and a winch to retrieve the buoy. The buoy weighed around 60-70 kilograms.
After opening the protective shell of the buoy, the men discovered electronic components in a robust and protected housing, a battery for autonomous operation and a system for receiving and sending information.
Bogdan Bulychev suspects that it was a device for digital underwater communication, navigation and possibly information gathering. The entire equipment, including the buoy itself, had no identifying marks and no manufacturer’s name.
After noting the coordinates of the find, the expedition members loaded the buoy onto the roof of the off-road vehicle and took it to the mainland. When they reached a large populated area, they handed the buoy over to the local authorities for closer examination.
Heiner Kubny, Polar Journal AG
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