Australian authorities have issued a warning to beach-goers after a strange cylindrical object, potentially part of a foreign spacecraft, washed ashore on Jurien Bay beach in Western Australia.
The bizarre discovery was shared by the Australian Space Agency (ASA) in a series of tweets on Monday, urging the community to avoid handling or moving the object due to its unknown origin.
We are currently making enquiries related to this object located on a beach near Jurien Bay in Western Australia.The object could be from a foreign space launch vehicle and we are liaising with global counterparts who may be able to provide more information.[More in comments] pic.twitter.com/41cRuhwzZk
— Australian Space Agency (@AusSpaceAgency) July 17, 2023
According to local resident Garth Griffiths, a couple of area residents stumbled upon the object floating in the shallows and managed to retrieve it using a four-wheel drive vehicle.
Griffiths described the semi-cylindrical object to ABC News Australia, measuring over 2.5 meters across and around three meters long, made of a lightweight carbon fiber material resembling resin.
Colossal beer can or UFO?
Photos of the bronze-colored cylinder covered in barnacles have sparked comparisons to a colossal beer can or a remnant from an alien civilization.
Upon reporting the find, locals alerted the authorities, prompting an investigation in collaboration with the military and the ASA to determine the object's origins.
While its source remains uncertain, the ASA suggests it may be debris from a foreign space launch vehicle and is in contact with international counterparts to gather more information.
Experts in the space field have speculated that the mysterious canister could be the fuel tank of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket, which was last launched on April 22, 2023, as reported by The Independent. Western Australian police guarded the object throughout the day to ensure public safety and maintain security.
Fortunately, by Monday night, authorities confirmed that the cylinder posed no threat to the public and it was deemed safe. Efforts are underway to remove the object from the beach and the public has been advised to steer clear of the area until the operation is complete.