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A group of scuba divers focused on cleaning underwater debris recently retrieved what is believed to be a Russian tracking device off the coast of Wales. On 15 November, volunteers from Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners (NARC) came across the item during a scheduled dive in the Skomer Marine Conservation Zone, near Wooltack Point in Pembrokeshire. Initially, the team thought the object might be a navigational aid, but upon closer examination, it appeared to resemble a sonobuoy—an acoustic sensor commonly employed for submarine detection.
The device, found wedged in a seabed gulley by diver Tim Smith-Gosling, measures approximately 120cm (50 inches) in length and weighs about 15 kilograms (2.4 stone). According to Dave Kennard, chairman of NARC, the “battered” object was recovered using a lifting bag and brought safely to the surface. Further investigation—including consultations with the Port Authority Waterway and a former Royal Navy contact—led the team to identify the object as likely matching sonic buoys used for underwater detection, similar to items found in Cornwall and the Republic of Ireland in 2021.
Upon discovery, the appropriate authorities were alerted. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency confirmed they received the report on 19 November but stated that no individual was in danger and no search and rescue operation was initiated. Although NARC had not encountered a similar device before, the occurrence of such artifacts is not uncommon in areas with extensive naval activity like UK waters. The Royal Navy declined to comment on specific finds due to operational security but emphasized its ongoing efforts to safeguard British waters through cooperation with international partners.
Independent defence experts weighed in on the nature of the device, with one analyst confidently identifying it as a Russian RGB-1A sonobuoy, a type normally deployed by long-range maritime patrol aircraft such as Russia’s Tu-142M. While several models of this sonobuoy have been washed ashore previously in the UK, Ireland, and Lithuania, their relatively clean appearance suggests recent deployment. Strategic defence consultant Dr Andy Scollick also noted the recovered object matches previous examples of Russian hydroacoustic buoys, featuring three vertically aligned hydrophones and signs of deep-water implosion, although missing an external orange sleeve typically marked with serial numbers. Similar devices have been reported drifting ashore as recently as 2023 and 2024 in Russia’s Novosibirsky region and Lithuania.
Sonobuoys, the devices believed to have been found, combine sonar and buoy technology to detect submarines and other underwater objects by emitting and receiving acoustic signals. Because radio waves and GPS cannot transmit effectively through seawater, sonobuoys are crucial elements in naval detection systems. They date back to World War II when they were first developed to locate German U-boats, and have since played important roles during the Cold War and in modern military and search-and-rescue operations. They were notably used during the 2023 search for the missing Titan submersible and the hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in 2014. Authorities advise that the public should never touch or move suspected sonobuoys due to potential hazards and should instead contact the coastguard immediately.
This discovery coincided with recent activity involving the Russian vessel Yantar, which UK Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed had been operating near British waters. Russia describes Yantar as an oceanic research ship, but Western observers argue it may be clandestinely mapping undersea cables that carry over 90% of the UK’s data and financial transactions. Tensions have risen following reports that Royal Air Force patrol pilots were targeted with lasers from the vessel—actions Mr Healey condemned as “deeply dangerous.” The UK government stated its readiness to respond if the ship advances further south. Meanwhile, the Russian Embassy denied any interest in British underwater communication infrastructure
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