Possible Columbia shuttle item found in Texas lake

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Possible Columbia shuttle item found in Texas lake

The Associated Press Published Tuesday, August 2, 2011 1:05PM EDT

This Aug. 1, 2011 handout photo provided by the Nacogdoches Police Department shows a 4-feet in diameter sphere found in Lake Nacogdoches, Texas on Monday, Aug. 1. (AP Photo/Nacogdoches Police Department)

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NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Authorities say a piece of the space shuttle Columbia may have been found in a drought-stricken Texas lake.

The shuttle broke apart and burned in February 2003, killing seven people and scattering shuttle pieces across East Texas.

Nacogdoches (na-kuh-DOH'-chis) police on Monday announced that an item described as about 2 metres in diameter and "full of mud" was recovered from a lake that had seen its water levels drop because of the drought.

Sgt. Greg Sowell says the lower water level has exposed a larger than normal area on the north side of Lake Nacogdoches. Sowell says a large, round object became visible and it's very possible that the item was part of Columbia.

Police have notified NASA and provided photos. Any shuttle pieces are government property.