Once revealed, the film photographs did not reveal any evidence of the Loch Ness Monster. National Oceanography Centre

An underwater camera from 1970 that had been submerged to capture evidence of the Loch Ness Monster has been discovered by accident.

The U.K.'s National Oceanography Centre was conducting a routine test of one of their autonomous underwater vehicles, named Boaty McBoatface, when it happened upon the camera system at a depth of around 590 feet.

The camera is thought to have been submerged 55 years ago as part of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau's first attempt to use underwater photography in their search for Nessie.

The center's underwater robot came across the contraption when part of its mooring snagged on Boaty McBoatface's propeller. When it was brought back to the surface, author and lifelong Nessie investigator Adrian Shine said he knew exactly what it was.

"It was a fascinating moment," Shine told CBS News.

He described the camera trap as "quite ingenious." "[It was] triggered by a bait line, which was above the camera on a float, and if that was pulled, an external magnetic switch was operated," he said.

Shine, who set up The Loch Ness Project in the mid-1970s to investigate Loch Ness, said around 24 film exposures had been taken but there was no evidence of Nessie in those pictures.

Once revealed, the pictures mostly show Loch Ness' dark, murky waters and it is believed the camera could have been triggered by the loch's strong underwater currents.

According to Shine, the Instamatic film camera was one of six deployed as part of the project, which was spearheaded by American biologist and scientific director of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau Roy Mackal. The camera pulled to the surface by Boaty McBoatface was one of three that had been lost in the deep waters during a gale.

The chance encounter came during a routine test of the center's underwater vehicles, which help map seabed habitats.

Sam Smith, from the center's Marine Autonomous Robotics Systems group, said, "While this wasn't a find we expected to make, we're happy that this piece of Nessie hunting history can be shared and perhaps at least the mystery of who left it in the loch can be solved."


The camera trap system is thought to have been triggered by strong currents. National Oceanography Centre


Lifelong Nessie investigator Adrian Shine helped identify the camera once it was pulled to the surface. National Oceanography Centre

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