Lifeguard finds corpse in washed-up oil tank on California beach

A body was found in a barrel Monday near a beach in Malibu, California, authorities said.

A lifeguard called police around 10 a.m. to report he found a body in an oil tank that washed up near Malibu State Beach and Surfrider State Beach, according to Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Lizette Falcon. Homicide investigators soon visited the scene.

"At first it was reported that the victim was a male, but the coroner hasn't identified the remains," Falcon told USA TODAY. "We can't really confirm whether it's a male or a female."

A park maintenance worker first saw the oil tank floating near the Pacific Coast Highway bridge late Sunday, KTLA reported.

“They got in a kayak to get it and brought it to shore,” said LASD Lt. Hugo Reynaga, according to KTLA. ” Apparently it was too heavy and they didn’t want to open it, so they left it on shore.”

USA TODAY has reached out to a state parks representative for comment.

No further updates to the investigation have been reported.