Mystery orb that washed up on Japanese beach may finally have been identified
Driftwood, sea glass, pretty shells – it’s always worth keeping your eyes peeled for potential discoveries on any coastal stroll.
But day-trippers at Enshu Beach in Hamamatsu City were left baffled on Tuesday at what the tide had dragged in.
A local had stumbled across a giant ball – soon branded a ‘mystery orb’ by the world – and contacted the authorities.
Some suggested it could be ‘Godzilla’s egg’ while others mused it could be a new form of ‘spy balloon.’
But it appears that the panic was a false alarm, and that the ‘mystery orb’ may be a piece of common marine equipment.
Experts say the big ball is similar to a steel buoy made by Chinese shipbuilding company Nantong Yangfan.
It use used to guide mariners or mark positions in the ocean.
According to local media, the object was around 1.5 metres in diameter and appeared to be rusted, which suggests it may be made out of iron.
It is also equipped with a series of metallic handles.
After the orb was found, photographs had been sent to the Japanese self-defence forces and coast guard for further examination.
Bomb experts were even called to Enshu Beach to investigate the strange spherical shape.
The area had swiftly been evacuated as a result of the discovery.
Speaking to public broadcaster NHK, one local man who regularly runs on the beach said he did not understand why the ball had suddenly become the centre of attention.
‘It’s been there for a month,’ he told the outlet. ‘I tried to push it, but it wouldn’t budge.’
The news comes after American fighter jets shot down a number of ‘unidentified objects’ spotted in US and Canadian airspace over the past month.
President Biden revealed earlier last week that the objects shot down were in fact most likely humdrum research balloons.
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