‘Lost’ Navy AUV Found on Beach in Norway

AP reported that a missing unmanned submarine was found Tuesday by a man strolling along a beach in western Norway. The 11-foot mini-sub, or Battlespace Preparation Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, disappeared in late April during tests off the port of Kristiansand in southern Norway, from its its mother ship, the minesweeper USS Swift.

This type submarine was not remote controlled, but pre-programed before its launch to search for mines and, if necessary, destroy them.

However, it never surfaced, leading the Swift to break off its participation in a military exercise and spend a week searching for it. The mini-sub turned up about 200 kilometers (125 miles) to the north.

The wire service reported that a man going for walk along the coast near Stavanger, on Norway's west coast, spotted a small, torpedo-like object marked "Department of Navy" grounded just off the beach and called the police.