Legos Washing Up On UK Beach From 17-Year-Old 'Shipwreck'
- 10 years ago
It’s been 17 years since a ship spilled its Lego cargo into the Atlantic Ocean, but the little toys are still washing up on the beaches of Cornwall, UK.
It’s been 17 years since a ship spilled its Lego cargo into the Atlantic Ocean, but the little toys are still washing up on the beaches of Cornwall, UK.
In early 1997 the Tokio Express was en route to the US East Coast when a powerful wave caused it to tip and drop over 60 shipping containers.
One of them was filled with over 4.7 million little plastic pieces, including flowers, sea creatures, and mythical beasts.
Ever since, they’ve been turning up in Cornwall.
Over the years, the plastic toys have created a treasure hunt of sorts, with some pieces being identified as more scarce, and thus more prized, than others.
The greatest find is octopuses. Only 3 are known to have been found, even though the ship’s manifest says that there were over 4 thousand on board.
Tracey Williams has been chronicling the finds and manages a Facebook page dedicated to people’s discoveries.
She says that while many say they turn up everywhere from Melbourne to Florida, the Cornwall pieces are the only ones verified to be from the downed container.
It’s been 17 years since a ship spilled its Lego cargo into the Atlantic Ocean, but the little toys are still washing up on the beaches of Cornwall, UK.
In early 1997 the Tokio Express was en route to the US East Coast when a powerful wave caused it to tip and drop over 60 shipping containers.
One of them was filled with over 4.7 million little plastic pieces, including flowers, sea creatures, and mythical beasts.
Ever since, they’ve been turning up in Cornwall.
Over the years, the plastic toys have created a treasure hunt of sorts, with some pieces being identified as more scarce, and thus more prized, than others.
The greatest find is octopuses. Only 3 are known to have been found, even though the ship’s manifest says that there were over 4 thousand on board.
Tracey Williams has been chronicling the finds and manages a Facebook page dedicated to people’s discoveries.
She says that while many say they turn up everywhere from Melbourne to Florida, the Cornwall pieces are the only ones verified to be from the downed container.