Unidentified flying object baffles authorities
05/06/2004
Several specialists, including the Portuguese air force, were left without any feasible explanation when an unidentified flying object (UFO) was caught on radar travelling through Portuguese airspace. The only confirmation received to date is that “it was not a plane” and that it disappeared three minutes after being captured on radar.
Spokesman for the Portuguese Air force, Colonel Carlos Barbosa revealed to the Lusa News Agency that defence radars recorded “a target” for a period of time ranging between 120 and 180 seconds. He adds “it cannot be classified as an aircraft”.
The phenomenon, described by eye-witnesses as being a “large and intense white light, dispersing smoke but noiseless as it moved through the night sky” was also detected by air traffic controllers in Beja and Montijo, while emergency rescue staff at Lisbon’s international airport also confirmed the sighting.
Specialists in space science contacted by the Lusa News Agency have ruled out the possibility the sighting was an astronomic phenomenon, arguing, “They last less and tend to make a noise”.
The US defence department as also meanwhile confirmed the object was not a falling satellite or fragments thereof as no objects in orbit had recently been lost.
The National Weather Bureau has also since issued a statement saying it has no meteorological explanation for the sighting.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, law enforcement authorities received 20 calls from civilians claiming to have seen the “UFO”. The calls were made from several parts of the country.
The European Space Agency has also found no explanation for the sighting, saying Portugal was the only country in which this “moving ball of intense light” was seen.
http://tinyurl.com/3admr
Several specialists, including the Portuguese air force, were left without any feasible explanation when an unidentified flying object (UFO) was caught on radar travelling through Portuguese airspace. The only confirmation received to date is that “it was not a plane” and that it disappeared three minutes after being captured on radar.
Spokesman for the Portuguese Air force, Colonel Carlos Barbosa revealed to the Lusa News Agency that defence radars recorded “a target” for a period of time ranging between 120 and 180 seconds. He adds “it cannot be classified as an aircraft”.
The phenomenon, described by eye-witnesses as being a “large and intense white light, dispersing smoke but noiseless as it moved through the night sky” was also detected by air traffic controllers in Beja and Montijo, while emergency rescue staff at Lisbon’s international airport also confirmed the sighting.
Specialists in space science contacted by the Lusa News Agency have ruled out the possibility the sighting was an astronomic phenomenon, arguing, “They last less and tend to make a noise”.
The US defence department as also meanwhile confirmed the object was not a falling satellite or fragments thereof as no objects in orbit had recently been lost.
The National Weather Bureau has also since issued a statement saying it has no meteorological explanation for the sighting.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, law enforcement authorities received 20 calls from civilians claiming to have seen the “UFO”. The calls were made from several parts of the country.
The European Space Agency has also found no explanation for the sighting, saying Portugal was the only country in which this “moving ball of intense light” was seen.
http://tinyurl.com/3admr
Starmail - 4. Jun, 13:03
