Largest fragment of meteorite in Russia found

Divers have found the largest piece so far of a meteorite which hit Russia's Chelyabinsk region in February this year, a scholar said Wednesday.

Xinhua quoted Sergei Zamozdra, an associate professor at South Urals State University, as saying that preliminary studies showed the 570-kg fragment came from the Chelyabinsk meteorite.

It was recovered from a depth of 20 metres in the Chebarkul Lake, he said.

It will be placed at a local museum after undergoing X-rays and other scientific tests.

The meteorite exploded over the Chelyabinsk region in central Russia on Feb 15, injuring more than 1,600 people and damaging property worth about 1 billion roubles ($30 million).

Scientists have so far found five fragments of the meteorite.