A baffling maritime mystery unfolded off the coast of Islay over two decades ago when two fishermen unexpectedly reeled in a distinctive 'yellow submarine', their surprising catch sparking months of intrigue.
John Baker, then 69, was fishing just miles offshore from the Inner Hebrides island in May 2005 when his nets snared the peculiar vessel. He successfully reeled in the 10ft craft, which weighed approximately 850kg, bearing clear Royal Navy markings on its hull.
Yet, despite this clear evidence, the Ministry of Defence initially and publicly disavowed any ownership of the submersible. The enigmatic submarine subsequently found an unusual home in the garden of Harold Hastie, Mr Baker’s brother-in-law, in the village of Port Ellen, quickly transforming into an unlikely local tourist attraction. Its unexplained presence and the ongoing ownership dispute garnered significant international media attention across the globe.
The protracted mystery was finally resolved in September 2005 when the Royal Navy, reversing its earlier denial after a period of silence, dispatched the minesweeper HMS Blyth to retrieve what it eventually conceded was its property.
The “yellow submarine” was in fact a remotely-operated vehicle used in mine-clearing operations.
Bruichladdich distillery, which is based on Islay, is releasing a special version of its Yellow Submarine whisky this year.
In a video recorded for the distillery, Mr Baker said he initially thought the craft was some kind of buoy when he spotted it in the water, before realising it was “something significant”.
He said: “There was no way of getting it aboard, so we got a rope on it and started towing it.
“The weather wasn’t helping – it was hard going – but we knew we had to get it ashore and figure out what it was.
“We knew it was some kind of submersible, but we had no idea where it had come from.”
The Ministry of Defence initially denied it owned the submersible, but when the fishermen were able to provide serial numbers the official story changed.
Mr Hastie, now 72, reflected on the international attention created by the mystery.
He said: “It just grew arms and legs. What started as a local curiosity became something people were talking about all over the world.
“One minute it’s sitting there in Port Ellen, the next we’re doing interviews with everyone – every newspaper in Britain, BBC World Service, even calls from overseas.
“It just went mad.”
Mr Baker became something of a local celebrity after his discovery of the craft.
He said: ““I didn’t buy a dram for three months.
“Everywhere you went, people wanted to hear about it.”
While the “yellow submarine” was still on the island, Bruichladdich quickly created a whisky named after the strange vessel.
The distillery is now releasing a new 14-year-old limited edition single malt of its Yellow Submarine whisky.
In 2018, Bruichladdich acquired and restored a replica version of the submersible.
It now stands in the distillery courtyard as a permanent reminder of the episode.
