BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Brownsville shrimp boat captain says an unidentified metal object damaged his crew’s fishing equipment about eight miles off Boca Chica Beach, causing losses he estimated at more than $12,000 in nets alone.
Juan Pablo Sandoval Perez said the object caught the boat’s equipment while the crew was working in established fishing grounds. He said nets, chains and trawl doors were damaged, leaving the crew unable to work while repairs are made.
Sandoval Perez believes the object may be related to SpaceX operations, but the source of the material has not been confirmed. The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that it received a report from a mariner about possible SpaceX debris, according to the report.
The Federal Aviation Administration said SpaceX must sink or recover large floating debris that creates a navigation hazard. The Coast Guard said responsibility for investigating underwater debris can depend on what is found and the circumstances. No agency had publicly determined the source of the object at the time of publication.
Source: KRGV
