A joint operation is underway to identify a green tubular object found in the ocean off the coast of Florida's Palm Beach by a snorkeler earlier in the week.
Palm Beach police, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and the U.S. Navy are trying to figure out what the object is. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue was also on the scene assisting.
Jeff Ringrose / Scripps News West Palm Beach
Earlier this week authorities first identified the object as a non-explosive U.S. training missile. But on Saturday, police Capt. Will Rothrock told Scripps News West Palm Beach it had not been positively identified.
The object was removed and disposed of, Rothrock said.
On Tuesday, Andre Eimor, a snorkeler, reported the object he found. He told WPTV's Briana Nesprel he was snorkeling with family members when he spotted the object, which he thought was a missile.
The Palm Beach Police Department Underwater Search and Recovery Team responded to evaluate the long, tubular object.
"After assessing the object, we reached out to PBSO and the U.S. Navy for further assessment and assistance," Rothrock said.
There were no hazards or dangers to the public, police said.
Viktors Miske emailed WPTV that he ran the object through Google Lens and it listed it as 105 mm "rakefet" HE shell from the Israeli Army, circa the 1970s.
The image below is listed on Wikimedia Commons as an Israeli missile.
Wikimedia Commons
This story was originally published by Allen Cone at Scripps News West Palm Beach.
