FORT MORGAN, Ala. -- Several unmanned military drones with U.S. Air Force markings washed ashore in Alabama and forced the closure of a portion of at least one beach.

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VIDEO: Drone On Beach

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Two men on spring break in the area found the first 20-foot-long drone on the shore near Fort Morgan.

An official said the drone was a target that was apparently shot down in the Gulf of Mexico as part of a weapons system evaluation program, WKRG reported.

Beachgoers first thought the drone was a swimmer in distress or a downed aircraft.

"We couldn't tell what it was a first," a beachgoer said. "You could just see little parts of it. A wave would come and then you would see another part."

A guard was posted to protect the drone at the beach.

A second drone was also found Thursday at the end of Cabana Beach, according to the Press Register newspaper.

The second discovery was near the Plantation subdivision.

An official said it was not known exactly when the drones went down but exercises usually occur 40 to 70 miles offshore.

Both had barnacles on them, suggesting they had been in the water for some time, an official said.

The drones did not pose a danger to beachgoers, officials said.

Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.