Suspected Rocket Fragment Removed From Beach

A large metallic fragment that's believed to be from a Long March space rocket had been removed after washing up on a beach in Sai Kung.

Police and civil aviation officers moved in on Sunday to remove the roughly two metre by two metre fragment, which carries a serial number and the initials CMS -- which is thought to stand for China Manned Space.

The debris was reportedly discovered on Pak Lap Wan beach last Monday, with some villagers suspecting it to be airplane wreckage.

The president of the Hong Kong Aerospace Society, Lui Kin-chuen, said he believes the piece belongs to the nose cone that detached from a Long March rocket which was launched from Hainan Island a few months ago.

He says it's not unusual for rocket parts to drift to shore, adding that the fragment would have little impact on the environment or human health.