People in Australia are being asked to keep away from a mysterious object that washed up on a remote beach while an investigation takes place to determine what it is, and where it came from.
The giant cylinder washed up near Green Head in Western Australia, prompting speculation online with some theorising it was from the missing plane MH370 that disappeared in 2014.
However, Western Australia Police have poured cold water on this theory, saying in a statement that "at this early stage it appears the object did not originate from a commercial aircraft".
Aviation expert Geoffrey Thomas also said it is unlikely from MH370 or any Boeing 777 airplane, but rather part of a rocket that launched within the last year.
A joint investigation conducted by the Western Australia police, the Australian Defence Force and maritime partners is currently under way.
In the statement, WA Police "urged everyone to refrain from drawing conclusions" while the investgiation is taking place.
They added that the "object is being treated as hazardous, until the origin of it can be established" and said "people in the area should keep a safe distance".
The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, and the enormous hunt that followed, has captured global attention since the jet vanished off radar screens in 2014.
The flight vanished while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, China on 8 March 2014.
