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Mysterious black balls are unexpectedly found on beaches near the famous Bondi Beach in Australia. Authorities act immediately.
Sydney – Beaches in Australia are usually closed after shark sightings or attacks. The popular stretches of Coogee Beach and Gordon’s Bay in suburban Sydney are currently deserted for an unusual reason: hundreds of mysterious black balls have suddenly washed up from the sea.
The popular Coogee beach in Australia is closed after black balls were found. © IMAGO/STEVEN MARKHAM
The mayor of Randwick Municipality, Dylan Parker, spoke of “mysterious, black, spherical foreign bodies” on online platforms. They first appeared on Coogee Beach on Tuesday afternoon (October 15th), which was then immediately closed. A day later, the bullets appeared in nearby Gordon’s Bay. The beaches are not far from the world-famous Bondi Beach.
Mysterious black balls washed up on popular beaches in Australia
“It is unknown at this time what the material is, but it could be tar balls, which form when oil comes into contact with dirt and water, typically as a result of oil spills or seepage,” Parker explained. An analysis should provide information about the objects.
Mysterious black balls that washed up on Coogee Beach in Australia are causing a headache for authorities. © IMAGO/STEVEN MARKHAM
Marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck sees it similarly. “It looks like lumps of tar or oil,” he said on Wednesday Daily Mail Australia. It is rare for such balls to wash up on the coast of Australia. “In different parts of the world where there is oil and gas exploration just offshore, like the Gulf of Mexico, these things are quite common on the beaches of Texas and Louisiana,” Chlebeck continued.
Marine biologist: Mysterious balls pose a cancer risk
Such balls form in water when oil coagulates “around a small piece of debris, be it a piece of plastic or a stick,” and they fuse together, the marine biologist said. “So they could have been on the move for a while and come from far away.” Chlebeck warned of a cancer risk posed by the bullets. People should “absolutely avoid” swimming in the sea. Anyone who comes into contact with them should clean the area with dishwashing liquid, he advised. A walker discovered ominous green balls on the Baltic Sea. (mt)