VideoRay Underwater Robot Finds Wallet Lost 10 Years Ago

Cash Still in Spend-able Condition After Decade in Lake Superior

Claire O'Keefe's purse as it was found by the VideoRay ROV 162 feet deep in Lake Superior.

Exton, PA, June 28, 2004 –. Claire O'Keefe was on a tour boat on Lake Superior when a gust of wind blew her purse into the water ten years ago. Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine she'd see it again. A few weeks ago, Claire received a call from Undersheriff Dave Phillips from the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota. The Sheriff's Rescue Squad had been using their VideoRay Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to assist the Cook County Sheriff's Office in searching for a scuba diver that had been missing for four years. While conducting the search, the Rescue Squad came upon Claire's wallet in 165 feet of water.

”We felt great about returning the wallet to Mrs. O'Keefe,” says Phillips. “To this day we are amazed that we finally have a piece of underwater equipment capable of locating and picking up items at these depths.” Philips, who used a VideoRay Pro equipped with a manipulator claw that can retrieve items up to 90 pounds underwater, considers the manipulator an essential for public safety applications.

Purse and its contents after retrieval and cleaning.

“My reaction is still flabbergasted,” says O’Keefe, who resides in Seattle, WA. “I couldn’t believe they took the trouble to pick it up. I remember the incident distinctly as do my traveling companions but never in my wildest did I imagine it was still intact. It was so exciting – a one in a million thing to happen.”

The VideoRay ROV (remotely operated vehicle) is an 8-pound underwater submersible equipped with a video camera. Operated by one person from land or boat, the submersible is attached to a 500-foot tether and control box to navigate underwater. VideoRays are used worldwide for search and recovery missions, Homeland Security, science and research, and underwater inspections of all kinds.

For comments, contact: David Phillips, Undersheriff, St. Louis County Sheriff's Office, Duluth, MN, PH: 218-726-2339, e-mail: phillipsd@co.st-louis.mn.us; Capt. Scott Shields at 732-713-6298.

For pictures and videos online, visit http://www.videoray.com/Press_Room/press_release.htm

Contact VideoRay LLC • 400 Eagleview Blvd. • Exton, PA 19341 USA • Phone: (610) 458-3000 • FAX: (610) 458-3010 • www.videoray.com

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