Unusual find for Cork fishermen off Kerry coast
Landed in Keelbeg by local fishermen, part of a motor pulled up from the seabed approximately 200 miles south of Dingle. Credit: Andrew Harris
CORK fishermen recently uncovered what they thought was the motor of a failed rocket ship that was launched earlier this year.
While fishing for monkfish, the group of fishermen from Keelbeg, Union Hall hauled what they believed was a part of the Virgin rocket ship.
Virgin Orbit, a company created by business tycoon Richard Branson, made their debut launch of the LauncherOne rocket off the coast of Cornwall in January.
The launch was the first of its kind off of UK soil.
However, just two hours after the first rocket launch, it was revealed that the Virgin Orbit ship had suffered an anomaly and had crashed into the sea following an engine failure.
Local photographer, Andrew Harris expressed his surprise when friend and harbour master of Union Hall, Garrett O’Mahony invited him to the harbour to see their newly found rocket.
“I headed down to check it out for myself,” Mr Harris said.
The Cork fishermen were fishing off the coast of Kerry when they discovered the part.
However, a spokesperson for Virgin told The Echo the rocket is not from Virgin Orbit.
"The exhaust valves are totally different between what’s been found and what was launched in Cornwall."
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