Professional German diver Wilfried Thiesen was diving in an underwater cave off Mauritius along the coast of Africa when he found a 1976 Notre Dame class ring.

Thiesen sent an email to Notre Dame describing the class ring he had found and Steve Ruic, writer on staff, received the email. Ruic, in turn, sent out notices about the ring to the alumni and staff, but no one came forward.

It was later when Ruic was interviewing Dr. Maryellen Amato Stratmann, a past 1976 alumni member, that he asked if she'd ever visited Mauritius. Though she had not, she did know who had. Claire Cavoli Lopez, Notre Dame's 2006 Alumni of the Year.

Claire Cavoli Lopez, a 1976 Notre Dame graduate and former CIA undercover agent, had been stationed at Port Louis, Mauritius when she lost the ring over twenty years ago.

Ruic contacted Lopez with Theisen's address and, according to the AP, contact has been made and the ring is being mailed back to Lopez.