Sydney beaches closed as mysterious balls wash ashore

Australian authorities decided to close nine beaches in Sydney after mysterious balls washed up on the sand. These objects, composed of an unknown substance, appeared on the beaches on Tuesday morning. Authorities are urging residents and tourists to avoid these areas.

The first balls were discovered on Dee Why Beach, followed by sightings at Manly, Long Reef, Queenscliff, Freshwater, North Curl Curl, South Curl Curl, North Steyne, and North Narrabeen. The Northern Beaches Council, responsible for these areas, has decided to keep them closed until the contaminants are removed.

The Chair of the Northern Beaches Council, Sue Heins, explained in an interview with ABC News that it is still unclear what these balls are. "We've got lots of theories, but until we actually get some tests back, at the moment, we don't know 100 per cent what they are," Heins said.

This is not the first time mysterious balls have appeared on Sydney's beaches. In October 2019, about two thousand black balls, the size of golf balls, were found on beaches like Bondi and Coogee. At that time, eight beaches were closed, and the objects turned out to be a mixture of fuel and waste.

Authorities suspect that the current balls may be the result of a similar phenomenon, where leaking fuel from ships mixes with seawater and waste. Until the situation is clarified, the beaches will remain closed.

Source: ABC News