Latest news with #TheLochNessCentre
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Police believed 'beyond doubt' the Loch Ness Monster was real and tried to deter harpoon-wielding mob, unearthed report reveals
The Police believed 'beyond doubt' that the Loch Ness Monster existed and tried to protect it from a harpoon-wielding mob, an unearthed report has revealed. Documents from 1938 - five years after the first photo purporting to show the rumoured beast was taken - detail efforts by the authorities to safeguard Nessie. According to a letter written by Invernessshire Constabulary chief constable William Fraser, two individuals were attempting to capture Nessie 'dead or alive' using a harpoon gun. He added: 'That there is some strange creature in Loch Ness seems now beyond doubt, but that the Police have any power to protect it is very doubtful.' The officer went on to detail how he warned that the beast should be left alone. The documents were uncovered by Kenny Welsh, a member of The Loch Ness Centre, in Drumnadrochit, Scotland. They pile further intrigue onto what has been a global obsession for decades. The first photo purporting to show Nessie was taken in November 1933, by Scottish man Hugh Gray. He later described what he saw in Loch Ness, near Inverness, as an 'object of considerable dimensions'. Gray's photo came after another man, Loch Ness water bailiff and part-time journalist Alex Campbell, reported on the sighting of an 'enormous creature with the body of a whale rolling in the water in the loch' earlier in 1933. Fraser's letter read: 'It has now come to my notice that a Mr Peter Kent and Miss Marion Stirling, both of London, are determined to catch the Monster dead or alive. 'Mr Peter Kent visited Fort Augustus on Friday, 12 August and was seen there by my Officer stationed at Fort Augustus. 'To whom he stated that he was having a special harpoon gun made and that he was to return with some twenty experienced men on the 22 of August for the purpose of hunting the Monster down. 'That there is some strange creature in Loch Ness seems now beyond doubt, but that the Police have any power to protect it is very doubtful. 'I have, however, caused Mr Peter Kent to be warned of the desirability of having the creature left alone, but whether my warning will have the desired effect or not remains to be seen.' In 1934, a picture taken by London physician Robert Kenneth Wilson captured the world's attention. It showed what appeared to be a beast rearing its head out of the water. It was later exposed as a hoax Mr Welsh discovered the fascinating police report while doing some research. 'I love the 1938 police report - it's a piece of the jigsaw that makes up the story of Loch Ness and our elusive monster,' he told news website What's The Jam. 'It offers a rare glimpse into how even the police believed there might be something in the water.' Nagina Ishaq, general manager of The Loch Ness Centre, said: 'It's fascinating to see the historical local support for Nessie's protection from potential poachers. 'The dedication to ensuring its safety is something that resonates strongly with us here at the Centre. 'As we continue our search, we are committed to doing so in a way that is non-invasive and respectful of the creature and its environment. 'With advancements in technology, such as ROVs, we aim to carry out the search for Nessie in the safest and most careful way possible, ensuring that future generations can experience the wonder of Loch Ness for years to come.' Alan McKenna, of Loch Ness Exploration, added: 'The 1938 police report is a rare moment where the mystery of Loch Ness crosses into official record. 'It reminds us that even authorities couldn't ignore what people claimed to see.' The Nessie mystery could date as far back as 565AD, when Irish missionary Saint Columba was recorded to have encountered a strange water monster in the River Ness, which feeds the famous loch. According to his centuries-old biography, the water beast had slain one man and attacked another when it fled in terror after Saint Columba made the sign of the cross and ordered it back.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
First Loch Ness monster sighting in 2025 reported. Could mystery finally be solved?
A man on the shores of Scotland's Dores Beach said he saw the elusive Loch Ness monster emerging from the depths of the loch, the first potential Nessie sighting reported to The Loch Ness Centre in 2025, the organization says. Winter often brings bad weather and the loch's surface can be choppy and shrouded in mist, leading to fewer reported sightings, Aimee Todd, the center's marketing manager, told USA TODAY on Thursday. But on Jan. 29, when the latest purported photo of the mythical creature was taken, the waters were calm and the conditions ideal for spotting unusual activity, according to Todd. Todd said she was thrilled to learn of the latest sighting. "I just thought it was brilliant because it really shows like the wave," Todd said. "And it looks like there is like some kind of dark mass under the water pushing up that wave." 🚨 2025's First Potential Nessie Sighting! 👀🐉Loch Ness has kicked off the year with an exciting mystery! A visitor at... Posted by The Loch Ness Centre on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 Todd said the center has reached out to experts including Alan Mackenna of Loch Ness Exploration to verify that image is not a case of mistaken identity. She said often seals, birds or even boat wakes can be mistaken for Nessie and she is waiting to get more information from the man who took the photo on his cellphone and has not been publicly identified. The Loch Ness Centre has worked with Mackenna's organization and the University of Aberdeen to use cutting-edge technology to probe the depths of the loch and has invited hundreds of people around the world to participate in surface watching events, Todd said. During a massive search in 2023, Mackenna's team used drones and other technology to surveil the lake. "Every observation adds to our understanding, whether it's potential evidence of Nessie or new insights into the loch's unique ecosystem," Mackenna said in a statement about the latest sighting. The center will be holding the search for Nessie dubbed "The Quest" again in May, Todd said, and volunteers will monitor the surface of the lake at 13 different locations for over six hours. Searchers will also venture out on the center's boat and use a hydrophone to detect acoustic signals under the water, she said. Loch Ness Monster hunt in photos: See Scotland's biggest search for Nessie in 50 years There have been nearly 1,160 reported sightings of the creature over the years since it was first reportedly spotted in 564, according to the official Loch Ness Monster Sightings Register. Still, no definitive proof of the monster's existence has ever been found and it's widely considered a myth. Some have theorized Nessie might be a Jurassic-era reptile like a Plesiosaur, a giant fish or even an eel. Researchers who analyzed DNA samples from the icy waters of the Scottish lake identified about 3,000 different species, but the results ruled out the presence of large animals such as dinosaurs. Still, Todd said she believes in the possibility. "I don't think there's a been a definitive answer for yes or no just too many sightings and too many descriptions from like photos, from films, and just like witness statements as well that are all too similar," she said. Nagina Ishaq, general manager of the center called the latest sighting "particularly captivating" and said the organization remains "committed to solving the mystery of Nessie once and for all." "Our previous collaborations with the University of Aberdeen and Loch Ness Exploration allowed us to advance our research efforts significantly, and this potential sighting is a reminder that the mystery of Loch Ness is far from solved," Ishaq said in a statement. "We continue to explore every possibility, and are committed to uncovering the truth.' Contributing: Emily DeLetter, USA TODAY; Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: First Loch Ness monster sighting in 2025. Could the mystery be solved?
