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URECAT - UFO Related Entities Catalog

DECEMBER 15, 1978, CATANIA, SICILY, ITALY, FRANCO PISTORIO, GIANFRANCO NASCA,SEBASTIANO MUSUMECI:

Brief summary of the event and follow-up:

The newspaper "La Sicilia" for January 6, 1978, then ufological sources, reported a CE3 with more or less details, the whole resulting in the following story: in Catania, Sicily, Italy, on December 15, 1978, Franco Pistorio, aged 9 , and Gianfranco Nasca, aged 8, played in a yard close to a TV antenna, at 00:15 a.m., when suddenly all the sector around them darkened.

They then noticed a disc-shaped object, motionless "in the middle of the air", or above TV the antenna, emitting "lights of various colors" or "multicoloured light beams".

On the central part of the disc, a kind of wicket or trap door opened and a being was carried to the ground by a luminous beam coming from this trap door. This being hovered at 10 cm above the ground, while a another taller being appeared at the trap door.

Gianfranco Nasca fled, while Fanco Pistorio hid to observe the continuation.

The being is described as "very ugly like Frankestein" [ sic ], strange, of average size, with two large eyes and two projections like antennas on its head.

Sebastiano Musumeci, aged 9, arrived on the spot then and observed the scene in his turn.

Meanwhile the second being also came down and used a kind of gun to shoot at a close rock, making it burn and burst, then it leaned to the ground which it touched, and from its shoulder a blackish liquid poured to the ground.

The beam was again activated, it absorbs the being and an iron tube located on the spot, and the disc moved away fast.

There is a mention of "traces on the ground", and an Italian ufologist commented on that the case is doubious.

Basic information table:

Narratives:

[Ref. pt1:] PAOLO TOSELLI:

The author indicates that in Catania, Italy, on December 15, 1978, Franco Pistorio, aged 9, and Gianfranco Nasca, age 8, are playing when they notice an object stopped in the middle of the air and producing lights of various color. On the object, a kind of wicket opens from which, through a luminous beam, a being goes down to the ground and hovers 10 cm above the ground, while in front of the wicket another being of bigger size appears. The little Nasca flees while Pistorio hides to observe the course of events. The being is described as "very ugly like Frankestein [sic]. Sebastiano Musumeci, aged 9, arrives on the place and observes the scene in his turn. Meanwhile the being seized a kind of gun and shoots on a nearby rock, breaking it, then it goes down to the ground and from its shoulder a blackish liquid comes out. The beam is activated again, it absorbs the being and an iron tube located on the spot. The "disc" moves away.

Paolo Toselli comments that the case is dubious.

The source is indicated as "La Sicilia, January 6, 1979.

[Ref. ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:

Albert Rosales indicates in his catalogue that in Catania, Italy, on December 15, 1978, at 0015 a.m., two young boys were playing in a yard near a large TV antenna when suddenly the whole area around them darkened, they then noticed a hovering disc shaped craft just above the antenna. The object emitted multicolored rays of light and had an open hatch in its center section. A bright beam of light shot out of the opening and a strange medium sized being descended within the beam. The being was described as "ugly" with two large eyes and two antennas like protrusions on its head. A second similar being reportedly descended carrying a "laser" type gun and shot at a rock causing it to burn and explode. He was seen to bend down, touch the ground, and then spill a black liquid on it. Moments later a beam of light transported the beings back into the craft. The craft then shot away at high speed. Ground traces were reportedly found.

Albert Rosales indicates that the source is "Maurizio Verga, "Itacat"."

[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

[Ref. ni1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 15 December 1978 at 12:20 in Catania, Italy, "Area darkens, large disc tilts by television tower. 1.5m monster seen. Light ray." And: "Close encounter with a an unidentified craft and monstrous occupants. One disc was observed by two children at an electric plant for two minutes. One 5-foot-tall creature-like being was seen."

And: "Two young boys were playing in a yard near a large TV antenna when suddenly the whole area around them darkened, they then noticed a hovering disc shaped craft just above the antenna. The object emitted multicolored rays of light and had an open hatch in its center section. A bright beam of light shot out of the opening and a strange medium sized being descended within the beam. The being was described as "ugly" with two large eyes and two antennas like protrusions on its head. A second similar being reportedly descended carrying a "laser" type gun and shot at a rock causing it to burn and explode. He was seen to bend down, touch the ground, and then spill a black liquid on it. Moments later a beam of light transported the beings back into the craft. The craft then shot away at high speed. Ground traces were reportedly found."

The sources are indicated as Webb, David, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports; Verga, Maurizio, Italian UFO Catalogue; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002; Rosales, Albert, Humanoid Sighting Reports Database.

[Ref. al1:] "ALESSANDRO":

Points to consider:

The story come from a newspaper, and is oddly reported there only weeks after it allegedly occurred. The witnesses are children; there is no investigation report I know of, it is not known whether only one or two or the three boys reported the alleged occurrence, and Mr. Toselli comments it is a dubious case.

The beings description is typical of childish inventions: while several "cliches" are present, such as the zap gun, the UFO disc shape, the "monster" appearance of the entities, only vague indication are given, with no details whatsoever as to clothes, colors, body shape etc. This again suggests that there is nothing else than a newspaper story, with no investigation effort.

At least three possibilities for evidence to examine were apparently neglected: the blackish liquid that poured on the ground, the burned and exploded rock, and the mentioned "ground traces". Again, this suggests the lack of any investigation.

List of issues:

Evaluation:

Probable invention.

Sources references:

* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.

• [---] ? Article in the newspaper La Sicilia, Italy, January 6, 1979.
• [---] ? "HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports", compiled by David F. Webb and Ted Bloecher, CUFOS, USA, circa 1978.
• [pt1] * "Le Armi Delgi Umanoidi - Tubi, sfere, "raggi paralizzanti" ed Accessorii Vari Neu Casi di Incontri Ravvicinati del Tero Tipo", article by Paolo Toselli, Italy, in the ufology magazine Notiziario UFO, Italy, Volume 3, #4, April/May 1980.
• [---] ? ITACAT, compilé par Maurizio Verga, Italie.
• [---] ? "*U* Computer Database", compilé par Larry Hatch, USA, 2002.
• [ar1] * "1978 Humanoid Reports", compiled by Albert Rosales, circa 2007, at www.ufoinfo.com/humanoid/humanoid1978.shtml
• [dj1] * "Encounters with Aliens on this Day", web page compiled by Donald Johnson, USA, circa 2006, at www.ufoinfo.com/onthisday/December15.html
• [ni1] * "The 1978 UFO Chronology", compiled by the NICAP Website, USA, 2007, at www.nicap.org/waves/1978fullrep.htm
• [ud1] * "15 Dec 1978 - Catania, Italy", web page by the website UFOdna, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf11/uf7/117861.htm
• [al1] * Post by "Allessandro" on the forum Crop online, Italy, at www.croponline.org/bbforum/viewtopic.php?t=3655&sid=6dca49bb5565211fec7d2886e20907b6

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This page was last updated on November 23, 2009