Russian time capsule buried in ice at the North Pole is discovered 2,500 miles away in Ireland just two years later
- Two surfers spotted the metal cylinder and found it was a Russian time capsule
- It had been buried in the North Pole at the 90 degrees point by a Russian ship
- The capsule was mean to be found in 50 years but travelled to Ireland in just two
A Russian time capsule that was meant to be buried in ice for 50 years has washed up in Donegal after just two years.
Two surfers spotted the metal cylinder which had Russian engravings and they initially wondered if it could have been a bomb or somebody’s ashes.
Sophie Curran and Conor McClory were careful at first but Ms Curran had a family friend translate the message on the outside of the tin and realised what they had found.
A pair of Irish surfers – Sophie Curran and Conor McClory – found a Russian time capsule that was meant to be buried in ice for 50 years after it washed up on a beach in Donegal
Two surfers spotted the metal cylinder (pictured) which had Russian engravings and they initially wondered if it could have been a bomb or a person’s ashes
The time capsule was put together by travellers on a Russian ship during an expedition to the North Pole.
Inside there were pictures of the crew and the ship, letters from the crew, menus, itineraries and a military badge.
Two of the letters were in English and one was from a Russian blogger and included contact details. Blogger Sveta said the capsule was put together on the ship, which was called 50 Years of Victory.
The crew thought the capsule would go undiscovered for 30 to 50 years and were shocked to hear it had emerged just two years later in Ireland.
Ms Curran told RTÉ’s Ryan Tubridy Show: ‘Me and Conor were walking at the Bloody Foreland just looking for some surf and then came across this weird silver tube.
‘We found out that it hasn’t actually been in the sea for very long. It was placed in ice in the North Pole at the 90 degrees point.
Inside the capsule, pictures of the crew from the Russian ship that buried the capsule and the ship, letters from the crew, menus, itineraries and a military badge were found
‘That means that the ice has melted and it’s travelled 4,000 kilometres down to us in Donegal in just over two years which is scary.’
Conor said it is not good news for the planet, adding: ‘It doesn’t look good.’
He told Newstalk Breakfast: ‘We were a bit wary at the start because it looks like a bomb so we didn’t go too close too quick.
The time capsule was placed in ice in the North Pole at the 90 degrees point. It travelled 4,000 kilometres down to us in Donegal in just over two years
‘We got in contact with one of the crew from the ship and they let us know they put it in the ice in the North Pole.
‘It was a Russian nuclear ice-breaker ship that took tourists to the North Pole.
‘They were astonished that we even found it and that it’s down in Ireland already.’
Two of the letters were in English and one was from a Russian blogger and included contact details. Blogger Sveta said the capsule was put together on the ship, which was called 50 Years of Victory
The pair are not sure what to do with the capsule next but want to get the letters inside translated and are considering putting it in a display cabinet.
Conor said: ‘We were shocked to find the time capsule, especially when Sveta told us they had placed it in ice as this means the ice is melting rapidly, which is so scary.
‘We are very interested in climate change and hope that even a few people take away from this story and help to do their bit with the environment even if it’s one small change.’