27 March 2000

Listen to sounds from beneath Loch Ness - in this exclusive broadcast
Jan Sundberg, Team Leader of the Nessie2000 Hydrophonic Expedition gave a press conference on Monday 20 March 2000. He spoke of his "hopes to capture sounds from an unknown creature in Loch Ness using passive listening devices known as hydrophones"

"It's entirely possible that sonar noises scare Nessie away, but hydrophones don't make any noises", he added.

The Swedish Navy has donated the latest equipment that is in regular use protecting Scandinavia from snooping Russia submarines. The Expedition also gained unexpected support from Scotland's Royal Air Force when the Base Commander at RAF Lossiemouth agreed to issue an "avoid order" to low flying jets. The order temporarily suspends flights over Loch Ness while the Expedition continues - the noise of the jets was ruining the faint signals from the hydrophonic gear.

"All we could hear was a curtain of noise as the jets shot over head", said Jan.

"We are very thankful to the RAF for agreeing to fly elsewhere for a few days - they must be the best air force in the world", he said.

The research team, which includes Swedes, Norwegians, Finns and Scots has a computerised database of known aquatic creature sounds. A high-performance computer on board the cruise ship, Highland Commander, compares sounds from Loch Ness to the archive. So far the team have heard pike, eels and other, currently unidentified noises.

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