Message in a bottle travels from Germany to New Zealand

Feb. 21 (UPI) -- A German man whose children tossed a message in a bottle into the Rhine River about seven years ago said he received a reply saying the bottle had made it all the way to New Zealand.

Christian Gogos said his children and some friends tossed the message in a bottle into the Rhine River in the city of Bonn about seven years ago, and this week he received a letter from an Auckland, New Zealand, family.

The letter was signed by Scott, Julia, Lea and Alice Joy and said the bottle had washed up on an Auckland beach.

Gogos said the letter did not include any contact information, so he is asking Facebook users to help him get into contact with the family.