- Clarin (newspaper) - Argentina
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- Or so can be gathered from initial observations. Air
Force experts visited the site to investigate. The metallic artifact, measuring
3.60 meters long, fell to the ground enveloped in flames.
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- It is believed that yet to be identified obejct that
fell last night in a rural region of San Roque, Corrientes province, broke
off from a satellite. These are the first observations made by specialists
who reached the area, according to fire chief Adolfo Soler.
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- The artifact is spark-plug shaped, weighs some 30 kgs
and is made up of a metallic material. It plowed across the sky and was
sheathed in a fireball, causing concern among local resdients.
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- It impacted against a field with no surrounding houses
and caused two powerful explosions as it hit the ground, leaving a hole
measuring several centimeters deep and burned grass around it, accoring
to provincial secretary of state Jorge Barrionuevo.
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- "It could be a fuel tank from a rocket, to judge
by its shape and characteristics, but that will be determined by Air Force
experts," said the secretary. The object, shaped like a large spark-plug
and measuring 3.60 meters by 1.60, has a 70 cm. opening and was totally
burned, according to eyewitness accounts collected in the area. According
to Barrionuevo, the object had a strong odor of fuel and has the inscription
"Made in Italia" along its sides with registration number 06037-501
(F), being made of very light steel plate, since it doesn't weigh more
than 40 kilograms."
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- The minister said that the obejct was retrieved from
the crash site and placed under the custody of security forces until it
has been identified by specialists from the Ministerio de Seguridad de
la Naci"n (Ministry of National Security) or the Argentinean air force.
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- The collison occured yesterday morning in a rural sector
of the "El Rosado" district, some 15 kilometersfrom San Roque
in a field belonging to the Bolo family. The authorities were notified
after 18:00 hours which, led to the intervention of the volunteer fire
brigade. The San Roque fire chief--Soler--explained that they learned of
what had happened at 19:00 hours, but the object was already hours old
and many locals had already touched it and approached to see what it was.
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- "From the moment we took control of the site, we
safeguarded it until we [lifted the object] to take it to a secure location,
where it shall be under custody until specialists arrive from Buenos Aires,"
said Soler.
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- http://www.clarin.com/diario/hoy/um/m-695336.htm
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- Translation (C) 2004, Scott Corrales, Institute of Hispanic
Ufology (IHU). Special thanks to Gloria Coluchi.
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