David Watchorn, head of the Christmas Island Tourism Association, shared that during his commute to work, he initially mistook the sighting for ships, only to realize it was a SpaceX rocket being towed.
The 52-meter rocket generated significant excitement among locals, with some taking time off work to view it and others preparing boats to get a closer look at the debris.
“It’s incredible to think about what it has been through,” Watchorn told BBC.
According to reports from The Guardian, SpaceX engineers have arrived at the rocket’s location. After reaching orbit, SpaceX deployed 20 non-operational satellites before the rocket’s upper section re-entered the atmosphere and fell into the ocean.
In recent weeks, the company has been working to recover the spacecraft debris from the water before towing it for further examination.
SpaceX Recovery team successfully transported the Starship to a location near the shores of Christmas Island, as noted by the company on social media.
Before attempting to return the spacecraft to Starbase, specialists will conduct additional assessments of the vehicle.
