Debris, likely from a Russian missile, discovered off the coast of Norway
Photo: missile debris were found in Norway (facebook.com Morten Ga svand)
Witnesses describe the discovery
The debris was spotted by chance near the coast of Finnmark by fisherman Kenneth Stensen and nature photographer Morten Gåsvand. The two men said they knew it was possible to come across various objects on the seabed, but finding a missile fragment was entirely unexpected.
"We know you can find all kinds of things on the seabed. But a missile — that was a bit unsettling," Stensen said.
According to Gåsvand, the recovered fragment was about 1.5 meters long.
Coast Guard was unable to inspect the debris
After making the discovery, the men notified the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Coast Guard was dispatched to the area, but by the time officers arrived, the debris had already been washed back out to sea.
Brynjar Stordal, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Armed Forces' Joint Headquarters, said that objects of this kind are not unusual in the Barents Sea. He explained that Russia conducts weapons testing in nearby areas, and debris can drift toward Norway's coastline.
Debris could pose a danger
According to Stordal, the debris may present a risk to the public.
"If such an object is in the sea, it already poses a certain danger. We also cannot guarantee that it does not still contain fuel or explosive materials," he said.
He called on people to be careful if they encounter such objects.
Earlier, it was reported that Russia plans to strengthen its presence in the Arctic and challenge NATO. Control over the region could enable Moscow to threaten Europe with hypersonic weapons.
A key flashpoint is the strategically important strait between mainland Norway and the Svalbard archipelago.
