Fisherman finds gold earring lost at sea for 23 years

A Dutch fisherman has found a golden earring lost at sea 23 years ago and returned it to the owner, another seafarer.

The traditional sailor’s earring, an age-old maritime tradition still continued by fishermen today, was lost by Henk Kuiper while he was fishing for sole in 2000.

“It is unimaginable,” he told the regional NH Nieuws broadcaster after the earring was returned to him. “I went looking on the deck and at home but if it is in the sea you will never find it again.”

He bought the earring in 1985 and had the number of the fishing cutter he worked on, WR70, engraved on it, in keeping with nautical tradition. Sailors traditionally wore gold earrings to pay for a funeral if their