On April 9th, 2021 at approximately 3:15 PM, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of what was believed to be charred debris from a spacecraft that washed up in the Alsea Bay near Waldport, Oregon. The debris was removed from the Alsea Bay by a fisherman and was briefly stored near a local business.
Deputies responded to the location and set up an exclusion perimeter while the nature of the object was being assessed. Central Oregon Coast Fire and Rescue responded to the scene and determined the object was not an immediate hazardous materials threat. After further consultation with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, SpaceX was contacted.
SpaceX was not able to determine if the object was a component of one of their spacecrafts, however it did appear consistent with a composite overwrapped pressure vessel. SpaceX engineers assessed numerous photographs and observations from deputes before determining the object could be safely transported.
The object was transported to a secure location by deputies so additional evaluation could be made regarding the object’s origin.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office thanks Central Oregon Coast Fire and Rescue, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, and SpaceX for their rapid response to this incident.