In 1978, the USS Stein, a US Navy frigate, encountered an unexpected emergency when its radar system, responsible for detecting submarine threats, suddenly malfunctioned. This forced the Stein to change course and head for its home base, where engineers could assess the issue. The problem seemed to be centered around the massive 27,215-kilogram (59,999-pound) dome attached to the front of the ship’s hull.

However, when the engineers inspected the sonar dome, they made a surprising discovery. The rubber “NOFOUL” coating on the dome was torn apart, with approximately 8 percent of its surface showing significant damage. Some tears in the coating were as long as four feet, and the marks bore evidence of considerable force. Strangely, the bottom of most of the scratches revealed large teeth, leading witnesses to speculate that it resembled an attack by a group of alligators on this critical piece of technology.

In an attempt to decipher the enigma of the “Stein Monster,” Navy biologist F.G. Wood was summoned to examine the NOFOUL coating. Upon inspection, he observed that the teeth or claws present on the structure perfectly matched the tears in size, strongly suggesting their involvement.

Wood’s conclusion pointed towards the possibility of a colossal squid due to the distinctive tooth structures, although he didn’t entirely dismiss the idea of an undiscovered oceanic creature. The only challenge lies in the fact that these teeth indicate a colossal squid of approximately 45 meters (150 feet) in length, roughly half the height of the Statue of Liberty.

So, was it Cthulhu, the Kraken, or some mythical abyssal squid? Not quite, but it certainly appeared to be a creature of remarkable dimensions. The claws embedded in the coating seemed to belong to a colossal squid, distinct from its giant squid counterpart due to its greater overall mass and the presence of large hooks along its tentacles. These hooks serve the purpose of grasping and even rending prey, making it an organism one would certainly want to avoid hugging.

Instances of such squids attaching themselves to vessels near the ocean’s surface have been documented, as illustrated in a video where a giant squid wraps its tentacles around a paddleboarder’s board.