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The big news Mexican military UFO report of March 5, 2004:

Warning: this is all to be continued. The case surfaced on May 2004. I do not offer "the explanation", I offer documentation only.

IN THIS SECTION:

SUMMARY OF THE EVENTS:

On March 5, 2004, a group of eight airmen of the Mexican Air Forces (Fuerza Aérea Mexicana) carried out an air survey patrol as part of the air force's fight against drugs smuggling by air.

The military men were on board a Fairchild-Dornier Merlin C26/A bimotor plane, and were between the town of Copalar, in the state of Chiapas, and the of Del Carmen, in the state of Campeche, at the co-ordinates: Northern latitude 18° 26 minutes 60 Western seconds and longitude 90° 45 minutes and 69 seconds, between 17:00 and 17:30.

The radar operator on board of the plane, Lieutenant German Marin Ramirez, suddenly located on his radar screen the presence of an unknown echo. He initially thought that they were precisely the echo of some narco-traficant's plane operating illegally in the sector.

After being informed of that, the pilot of the military plane, Major Magdaleno Castañón Muñoz, directed the course towards the direction where the radar operator indicated to him that the echo was, and they arrived within two miles of distance to the echo, which were now multiple and corresponded to even more detection on the FLIR camera (Forward Looking Infra Red, this is a camera detecting and recording the images in the infra-red spectrum only and used to ensure nightvision by detecting planes, boats, vehicle and ground features by the fact that they have different heat emissions visible in the infra-red).

Surprisingly, given the distance at which were the supposedly unidentified planes, the airmen could not see the objects visually at all. They know they were right here, because the radar and the FLIR tracked them and recorded, but there was nothing to see. This stunned the crew who now knew they could not be any normal aircraft.

FLIR operator Lieutenant Mario Adrián Vázquez Téllez, actually could see by means of this device, that the object were round and featureless, and flew in formation of 2 to three.

Pendant au moins 30 minutes, les aviateurs de la Force Aérienne Mexicaine ont suivi les sources infrarouges étranges. Il s'est d'abord avéré que tandis que l'avion avançait vers ces sources, ils ont commencé à détecter plus d'échos sur le radar et plus de sources infrarouges sur le FLIR, en avant d'eux. Il y eut bientôt 11 objets ou phénomènes observés à la fois sur radar et sur le FLIR. Il a été déterminé que ces objets ou phénomènes ont finalement entouré l'avion. During 30 minutes, the Mexican Air Force C-26 crew followed the strange infrared sources. When initially the plane was directed towards the first source, it seemed to back off. When the plane was directed back to its base due to its reach of fuel limits, the first echo followed them. soon they had more echoes on the radar and more infrared sources on the FLIR. There were soon as many as 11 objects or phenomena observed on radar and FLIR. At one time these objects or phenomena surrounded the plane.

Mexican ufologist Jaime Maussan, which was first informed of the case by the air forcce, noted:

"It is noteworthy to remember that all the military personnel on this type of missions, is composed of highly qualified people, because they operate in a very significant sector of national safety. By taking account of this, it is interesting and surprising to listen to the audio recording of the mission, how the expressions of the members of the crew went from emotion to shock. Thus, when we listen to the conversations between them, we hear expressions like "guys, today is our lucky day." Of all, that which we regard as the most memorable moment of the recording is when they say: "guys... we are not alone..."

The plane of the Mexican Air Forces Mexican had to give up the chase as it was running short of fuel. When taking the return flightpath, the aviators were very surprised, when they realized through their instruments that two of the unidentified objects apparently started to follow their plane. The audio recording has a voice saying: "why do they follow us?"

After the facts, the Secretary for the National Defense of Mexico decided that this case was to be part of the public domain, since the current Mexican government undertook a policy of transparency of information which it initiated since the beginning. Thus, the minister invited mexican ufologist Jaime Maussan, well-known in the country for his interest for the UFO question.

On April 20, Maussan went to the Defense offices and had a first meeting with top brasses of the Mexican military forces, who gave him the details of the case. Two days later, Jaime Maussan received a copy of the FLIR recordings of the plane, and the approval from General Ricardo Clément, chief of the Forces Armed with Mexico, to take any liberty to make the case public and to lead his reflexions ont the matter as he wants.

Then, on May 1st, in the same SEDENA (the Ministry for National Defense) building, Jaime Maussan was invited to interview the three main witnesses of the case. The pilot, Major Magdaleno Castañón Muñoz, the radar operator, Lieutenant German Marin Ramirez, and the FLIR operator, Lieutenant Mario Adrián Vázquez Téllez. They gave their testimony in front of Jaime Maussan's videocameras, without any kind of censorship. Maussan noted their professionalism as people trained to operate and work with specialized equipment, and "the details of this surprising case, which, surely, will change the way the UFO phenomenon" is perceived.

EXCERPTS FROM CREW INTERVIEW:

These are transcript excerpts from the interviews with three crew members directly involved in the Mexican Air Force C26A plane incident on March 5, 2004. The interviews were conducted by the journalist and ufologist Jaime Maussan in April 2004, when the air force informed him of the incident. Ufologist Santiago Yturria is to be credited for publishing them as well for his translation from Spanish to English.

The notes between brackets are preliminary notes by Dr Bruce Maccabee.

Interview with Major Magdaleno Castanon - the Pilot.

Question: Major, did you feel worried at any time when you realized you were surrounded by these unknown lights?

Answer: According to the information I heard from the operations coordinator chief - he was in charge of the visual operation on the screens - he mentioned that the objects were in the back, on the left side and in front of us. It was at that moment that I began to feel stressed.

Question: Would you say that the objects were invisible to normal sight?

Answer: I would say so because none of the crew could see them with simple eyesight.

Question: At that distance, where the objects were from you, wouldn't you have been able to see them?

Answer: The closest distance that we had from the objects was 2 miles. Our experience tells us that we can identify conventional aircraft at that distance, so that's the doubt that operation left on us.

Question: At the beginning of the incident, was it possible these objects became aware that you were following them?

Answer: It's just a guess, but perhaps there was a connection, in that sense, because it is very strange that we first pursued them, but when we cancelled that and made a completely opposite turn the objects then also turned - but in OUR direction and began following us. I think it could be possible that in some way these objects were aware that we had been following and observing them.

Interview with Lieutenant German Ramirez Marin, radar operator.

Question: When was the first time you became aware of the objects?

Answer: When we made a turn to route ourselves to Campeche, the FLIR infrared camera operator detected a target without a shape, just a shine. The target continued being observed with the FLIR. Then we detected other targets at the left side of the plane. They were eleven targets. We never had visual contact with them.

(NOTE: this seems to refer to the turn after the initial chase (37 miles to 2 miles))

Question: The eleven targets appeared on the normal (non-infrared) radar?

Answer. No. The eleven targets were not detected on the radar screen. Initially, only one target was detected by the radar.

(NOTE: does this refer to the initial target (37 miles to 2 miles)? Naturally the plane would have been flying toward the initial radar target (thinking it was an airplane) so that would put the initial target at 12:00 (straight ahead). Was there a radar target straight ahead after the "turn" and during the IR imagery? It seems so.)

Then another target appeared at one o'clock, that's how we describe the position that is in front but slightly to our right. And then a third one in back of the plane. Those were the only three targets that appeared in the radar screen during the incident. The other ones that were at nine 'o clock, on our left side never appeared on the radar.

(NOTE: in the above he his apparently talking about the situation while the FLIR system was showing "lights" at the left of the plane. The lights at the left were not detected by the radar, which was continually scanning 360 degrees around the airplane. Th FLIR pointing direction was controlled by the operator who apparently never (?) scanned al the way around (at least no report of that yet).

Question: There was a time when these objects surrounded you.

Answer: Yes, we can assume that because we had information of a target in the front, another one slightly to the right, one in the back, and according to the FLIR several others on our left side. So, we assumed that we were surrounded.

(Note: radar says target at 12:00, target at 1:00 target and one at (about) 6:00 (behind) relative to straight ahead (12:00). FLIR says multiple objects at the left. No statement about a FLIR search for objects ahead or at the right or behind.)

Question: The objects movements on the radar were out of the ordinary?

Answer: Certainly. Our data information - most of all, the icons (blips), the clusters - were always there on the screen, but the information on their movements was constantly changing. Their speed changes were sudden, 60 -120- 300 knots, according to the radar information.

(NOTE: this is important information not presented in the initial report (at least not translated). The radar has the capability through the Doppler effect of "instantly" measuring the speed of an object. However, the measurement is only made once every 10 seconds (the rotation rate of the radar). Nevertheless, to change speed as indicated above in 10 seconds would be anomalous. And, in fact, the report of rapid speed changes adds evern more to the unexplained aspect of this sighting.)

The same happened with their flight paths. The courses showed 90 degrees at first then, suddenly, 130 degrees on the radar screen.

Question: What does that mean?

Answer: It means that the target changed direction constantly at great speed. There is no aircraft that can perform such direction changes so quickly.

Interview with Lieutenant Mario Adrian Velazquez Tellez, FLIR operator.

Question: Is it possible that the FLIR gave false information?

Answer: It is not possible. This was visual information of a target that had both heat and movement, so it would not make reference to something that was not there.

(NOTE: The FLIR system is designed to respond only to radiation in the range 3.6-5 microns. There is no reason to expect it to create images of anything other than sources of 3.6-5 micron electromagnetic radiation.)

Question: Does the FLIR register hot air?

Answer: No. FLIR doesn't register hot air, it registers an object that generates heat.

The FLIR cannot "see" the hot gasses coming out of an engine. It can see the warm hot engine body, however.

Question: Then the eleven objects that were detected by the FLIR were generating heat. Were these objects there even though you couldn't see them with your eyes?

Answer: They were there, and we have the data references by their positions. They were on our left side, at the same altitude and the same speed.

(NOTE: the interview does not say whether or not the FLIR operator rotated the FLIR sensor to scan in all directions. It would certainly seem natural that he would do that, but it would be nice to see a statement to that effect. In particular, it would be nice to know whether or not the FLIR system picked up a target at 12:00, one at 1:00 and one at 6:00.)

Question: How much heat were the objects generating?

Answer: We ran several measurements trying to get an image and all the time the targets registered very hot. We never found any irregular shape, they were spherical all the time.

(NOTE: what experiments?)

Question: Is this type of shape irregular [unconventional] with respect to other aircraft you have detected before?

Answer: Yes, it was an irregular [unconventional] shape. I know of nothing like the aircraft I saw.

(NOTE: for a typical airplane at several miles distance the FLIR system could show an image that has the shape of an airplane with very "hot spots" at the locations of the engines.)

Question: In your experience do you have any previous personal knowledge of any similar incident like this?

Answer: I have never experienced anything like this and I don't know what to tell you. I don't have any explanation for what these objects were.

Question: You had detection with both radar and FLIR?

Answer: Correct. The radar gave us positions and then with the FLIR we searched that area. We located the targets and we kept those targets on screen while the radar was detecting other targets, giving us more positions. We tried to keep all the targets on screen all the time, so as not to lose them.

(NOTE: the radar and FLIR was "coupled" in such a way that the radar would give target direction to the FLIR and then the operator could scan back and forth relative to that direction to search for a target. Typically he would look for the heated engines of an airplane. Evidently the FLIR operator found the large number of objects at the left but it is necessary to know whether or not he pointed the FLIR in any other direction and, i particular whether or not he got images in the directions of the radar targets during the time of being "surrounded.")

Question: How did the objects surround the airplane?

Answer: The radar had objects on the front, slightly to the right and on the back. The FLIR had several objects on the left so we could say that we were surrounded.

Question: Were the objects big in size?

Answer: They were big, especially two of them that were closer to us.

Can't really say much about size except that if the objects were 2 miles away the infrared light sources couldn't have been larger than the diameter of the bright circular image projected to 2 miles, i.e., they were smaller than about 7 ft. (This refers to the two very bright lights side by side, separated by about 17 ft).

Question: Could FLIR have created this - is it possible to manipulate the FLIR information?

Answer: No. It is not possible to load information into the FLIR. All the information the FLIR detects is out there and is really happening. And the FLIR records this information in real time.

(NOTE: Both the FLIR system and the radar system had tape recorders. Apparently on the FLIR system was actually recording the events. Of course, the air traffic control also had a tape and maybe the airplane cockpit recorder.)

CREW CONVERSATIONS IN THE PLANE DURING THE INCIDENT:

English Translation Of Audio From The Flir Video Recording Aboard A Mexican Air Force Merlin C26A During A UFO Incident

Date: March 5, 2004
Location: Over Ciudad Del Carmen, Campeche air space

Translation by Santiago Yturria with assistance on final draft from John Velez.

Note: Voice identification, below, does not correspond to the same crew members in every segment. Voices are labelled in order of appearance in each segment.

PART 1:

[The C26A is patroling known drug smuggling flight paths.]

FLIR VIDEO TIME: (Hour/Min/Sec) 12:55:09 to 12:55:29

[Crew Conversation]

VOICE A: Do you have the lagoon in sight?

VOICE B: Yes it is to the right.

VOICE A: We get to the lagoon and we'll do that.

VOICE B: To the right?

VOICE A: Yes.

VOICE B: And we go back to the point, or do we move away?

VOICE A: We move away, that is, we make a pattern more or less like an arc.

VOICE B: Okay.

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 13:16:22 to 13:16:33

[no dialogue]

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 16:42:44 to 16:43:30

VOICE A: Almost to 12 of our position, distance, 2.9, speed, 75.

VOICE B: Pan more to the left because of the sun.

VOICE C: Yes.

VOICE B: Pan to the left.

VOICE A: Okay, I see it.

VOICE A: The runway is here at one

VOICE C: Where are you?

VOICE A: Ehhh, at 12 of our position, 2.3.

VOICE B: A runway.

PART 2:

[Unknown traffic appears. The crew begins to take action. They report a target to the base suspected to be a clandestine airplane.]

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 16:45:33 to 16:45:55

VOICE A: I'll tell you right away.

VOICE B: A position?

VOICE C: A position. 7 - 4.

VOICE A: At 12 of our position, I still have it there.

VOICE D: A traffic.

VOICE E: Can you get me the headquarters officer, Captain Danzon to let him know that we are reading a target.

VOICE A: Point Carmen 18 - 4.

VOICE B: It's marking 2-106 of speed and has a heading of 301.

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 16:52:03 to 16:53:00

VOICE A: It's behind the clouds.

VOICE A: What could it have been?

VOICE B: Don't know. It went on the other side - exactly where I had it.

[The FLIR operator trying to track the object through the clouds.]

VOICE A: Come, come.

VOICE B: Go.

VOICE A: Right, right.

VOICE B: Here it goes! Here it goes!!

VOICE B: There it goes... there it goes!

PART 3:

[The object is clearly visible on the FLIR. The crew begins to wonder out loud about the unknown object.]

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 16:50:03 to 16:50:22

VOICE A: What is it Juarez? Juarez what is it?

VOICE B: It's a point.

VOICE C: A point. It's there.

VOICE D: It's there behind us.

VOICE C: Its correct, it's now at our 7 o'clock position at 10.5 miles distance.

VOICE C: It's course is, 2- 8- 3 with a speed of 3-3-4.

VOICE D: More.

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 16:55:16 to 16:57:32

VOICE A: At least we have contact with it on the FLIR and we've had Radar contact all the time.

VOICE B: What's its altitude - more or less, boss?

VOICE A: I think it's at the same altitude as us.

VOICE B: Aahh.

VOICE C: The FLIR angle is... straight.

VOICE C: Exactly.

VOICE A: It's above us.

VOICE C: That's right.

VOICE B: Ah, that's why you couldn't see it.

VOICE D: I'm almost losing it on the Radar, it's almost off the screen.

VOICE B: Aahh.

VOICE C: It's exactly one mile from Carmen. From Carmen.

VOICE B: How many miles?

VOICE C: One or two miles from Carmen.

VOICE D: I don't have it on the screen but the Radar is still marking the distance at 37 miles.

VOICE C: It's now over Carmen.

VOICE B: Well, then it's been lost.

VOICE D: Here it comes.

VOICE C: It's passing by Carmen.

VOICE D: It is still going.

VOICE D: What's it doing?

VOICE C: It's turning.

VOICE D: Is it turning right?

VOICE C: Yes.

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 16:59:05 to 16:59:46

VOICE A: Just a light. It couldn't be distinguished.

VOICE B: It couldn't be determined if it was a plane or something else.

VOICE C: It is the same one that we saw a while ago.

VOICE D: Yes.

VOICE E: Paying attention, eh?

PART 4:

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 17:03:36 to 17:07:40

[Two objects appear]

VOICE A: Let me check.

VOICE B: At 7 at the same altitude.

VOICE C: There are some clouds, it must be seen over there.

VOICE D: [almost stuttering] That but, let's see, look for that, that is behind us.

VOICE E: Look how it appears. It looks like it's in two parts.

VOICE C: It is at our 7 or 8 o'clock position.

VOICE C: The strange thing is, that it has a point traveling in front position. A little point, in front of it.

VOICE C: It's not there? There goes another one.

[More objects, in formation, appear in the FLIR. The operator detects them and is moving the FLIR camera backward to count them.]

VOICE F: Lets' see, what do we have here?

VOICE A: Nothing sir. Hold on, let me look.

VOICE C: Commander what's that?

VOICE F: At what distance did you have them Tellez?

VOICE C: Ehh?

VOICE A: Hey, beware, this is like...

VOICE C: There are more coming. There are more... they are behind. There are ten, eleven objects.

VOICE A: There are many objects.

VOICE F: Ehh?

VOICE C: They must be at 9 o'clock from our position now.

VOICE F: At 9. Hold on.

VOICE A: At 9, same altitude almost, almost.

VOICE F: Okay, hold on.

VOICE C: Affirmative. They're going.

VOICE C: They're going.

VOICE C: Go one.

VOICE A: One.

VOICE C: And they are going with the others at the back, the ones that follow.

VOICE F: My God, what's that.

VOICE B: They are running each other (smiling)

VOICE F: What's that? Let's see. Try to focus.

VOICE C: It's at maximum.

VOICE F: Okay, don't let them leave you behind.

VOICE F: Okay.

VOICE C: Go.

VOICE F: Follow that one Tellez, don't leave it.

VOICE C: There they go, all of them, there are approximately ten, did you see them? Have you seen them?

VOICE F: You follow them.

VOICE C: There they go.

VOICE A: There they go.

VOICE A: Three, four, five. six... Are there six?

VOICE F: Below or above? Above? Where.

VOICE C: In the middle, there they go, at the same altitude.

VOICE A: There they go look, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven... no, there are eight.

VOICE F: This is terrible...

VOICE C: They are going to be seen better - there.

VOICE C: And they're going at a speed that...

VOICE C: One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, I have eight on the screen.

VOICE F: Follow them, don't lose them!

VOICE A: Are they at the same altitude, Tellez?

VOICE C: Affirmative. Above.

VOICE C: Eight, nine, ten, eleven, counting all the ones in the back.

VOICE C: Two, four, six, eight, ten, eleven.

VOICE F: [Apparently talking to the base] listen we don't know what are we seeing, they are luminous objects that are flying at the same altitude as us. We do not know what their distance is.

VOICE B: At what position do you have it, Tellez?

VOICE C: At 8.

VOICE F: At 8 or 9.

VOICE B: At 9. I don't think the Radar may read it, we have a blind angle there, Sir.

VOICE F: At 8 or 9?

VOICE B: Yes.

VOICE B: We have 20 degrees of blind angle there.

VOICE F: But you were seeing them?

VOICE B: Yes, but it's strange, now I have nothing.

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 17:14:58 to 17:16:14

[One huge object is seen on the FLIR screen.]

VOICE A: [Smiling] Why are they following us? Maintain that.

VOICE B: They are at 12 he said.

VOICE C: No. They are at 1.

VOICE A: Well that's one, but we have another at 9.

VOICE D: We have one at 9.

VOICE B: Ah I have one here, let me check the one at 9.

VOICE D: And ahead there are another two.

VOICE A: And they're the same ones, eh?

VOICE D: We have them ahead - in the middle and at 8

VOICE B: [Laughing] Ahh, fuck...

VOICE A: [Laughing] Fasten your seatbelts!

VOICE D: Let's see...

VOICE B: [Smiling] Don't be frightened.

VOICE D: If you could check through the window, we have one going along at approximately 1. The rest still going along at 9.

VOICE A: Does that means we are surrounded?

VOICE D: Well... I don't know.

VOICE B: At what distance.

VOICE D: The radar just indicates the point.

VOICE A: Boys, today is your lucky day!! [Laughs]

VOICE B: At what distance.

VOICE A: And that one is getting near to the other one.

VOICE D: It does not mark distance.

VOICE B: Okay, the one that we have at 1 from our position, I have it at 19 miles, at 1 o'clock from our position, going at 52 knots.

VOICE D: The one that you have at 1, I have one at 9 and the one that goes ahead of the one at 9. Approximately at 9, but going along ahead are two luminous points.

VOICE B: At what position, Tellez?

VOICE D: At 9 of our position.

VOICE B: At 9? Hold on, let me check...

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 17:16:32 to 17:18:23

[An object is seen on the screen near the airplane's left propeller.]

VOICE A: It's going along at our altitude - couldn't be.

VOICE B: The one that you have, what's it's position?

VOICE C: Which one? The one below the cloud? That one?

VOICE A: Yes.

VOICE C: Okay.

VOICE A: Roger.

VOICE B: That one you have there, what's it's position?

VOICE A: I have it at 9.

VOICE D: Boys...

VOICE B: We are not alone. [Laughs]

VOICE D: Yes, we are not alone, right. It's true. How strange this is, they are surrounding us.

VOICE A: Hey the one that you have at 1?

VOICE B: At 1 I have it at 14.8 miles at 1 heading 99 at a speed of 52.

VOICE A: Ah, that's the... he is following one and I'm following the other one.

VOICE D: Okay.

VOICE A: I mean the other one(s).

VOICE D: What is this?

VOICE E: Couldn't be a fucking plane - it's stopped there!

VOICE D: Ehh?

VOICE A: Do you have it in sight?

VOICE B: It looks so, lets get near.

VOICE E: It's stopped there!

VOICE B: It's stopped? Leaves the field?

VOICE D: No but the one that we have at 9...

VOICE E: It's in the clouds.

VOICE D: The one that we have at 9 is following us, is in formation with us, is in formation... at 9.

VOICE A: The one that you have at 1 where do you have it, Generation?

VOICE B: Hold on " Gene " I have it at... at 1.

VOICE A: There is one that is getting near to us.

VOICE B: At 1 of our position at 10 miles distance and speed of 52.

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 17:26:30 to 17:27:02

[The FLIR is focusing an object that presents a shape and a luminous form.]

[The pilot is apparently reporting this object to the base.]

VOICE A: The Radar has them. The FLIR has them. We are seeing on the FLIR a luminous object, it has an opposite course to us but it doesn't leave us, it's two miles behind us.

VOICE A: It does not move apart from us, no, it doesn't move apart from us.

VOICE A: Correct, who knows what it is.

VOICE A: Is it still with us, Marin?

VOICE B: Yes I still have it here.

FLIR VIDEO TIME: 17:27:11 to 17:28:02

VOICE A: Now it lost a bit of quality, I have a quality of 5.

VOICE B: Again look it looks...

VOICE A: The one that we had at 1 is lost now.

VOICE B: Okay.

VOICE A: It just left the Radar.

VOICE B: How weird is all this.

THE PRESS BRIEFING DOCUMENT BY JAIME MAUSSAN:

The following article was written by ufologist and reporter Jaime Maussan on May 11, 2004, as a Press briefing document following the Mexican Department of Defense public confirmation of the incident, under the Secretary of Defense General Clemente Vega Garcia, it is the report of Jaime Maussan about said Press conference. The Press conference took place at the Hotel Sevilla Palace in Mexico City and international media representatives were invited, as usually in any such Press conference. This is why news agency such as Reuters, AFP and other published a newsbrief on the case which was used in a number of paper, TV, and electronic media worldwide.

THE FACTS: On April 20, 2004 Jaime Maussan was contacted by a high officer of the Department of Defense to have a private meeting and discuss a subject of a high relevant matter. The next day Maussan met General Clemente Vega Garcia, Secretary of Defense and his major staff and was informed about an incident that took place on March 5, 2004 on the aerial space of Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche where an Air Force Merlín C26A Bimotor airplane was doing a routine flight to detect a smuggling drug airplane during an ant-narcotics operation.

The Merlin C26A was equipped with a high tech advanced digital equipment to register and record all the activities during the operation. Powerful sensor detectors like a FLIR STAR ZAPPHIR II [SAPPHIRE II] and a RADAR AN/PS 143 BRAVO VICTOR 3 were being used by qualified personal aboard the airplane and all the operation was being recorded both in normal and infrared mode. The airplane was under the command of Mayor Magdaleno Jasso Núñez.

The FLIR operator was Lt. Mario Adrián Vázquez and the RADAR operator Lt. German Ramirez, all of them members of the 501 Aerial Squadron. This airplane is programmed only for surveillance and detection procedures, not for interception or combat manoeuvres. Their duty is to detect and identify drug dealers flights and then immediately report them to the base where combat planes are scrambled to intercept those narcotics smugglers. At approximately 17:00 PM the Merlin C26A detected an unknown traffic at 10,500 feet over Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche airspace and according to the protocol and suspecting a drug dealer airplane Mayor Magdaleno Jasso made a manoeuver to approach the unidentified traffic at certain range to get a close look and record the target with their equipment.

At the same time Mayor Jasso reported by radio to the base that a possible suspect was detected requesting the interceptor planes to be in alert condition. The RADAR AN/PS 143 BRAVO VICTOR 3 was detecting the unknown traffic and the FLIR STAR ZAPPHIR II was recording the object in infrared. As the Merlin C26A tried to approach the unknown traffic to make a visual identification it suddenly in a surprising manoeuver escaped flying away at tremendous speed.

By this time Mayor Jasso tried to persecute the target but it was very fast. All this was being recorded by the FLAIR and also the radio conversations with the base describing the unexpected manoeuver of the unknown. However the C26A still have not made visual contact with the unknown object. Just some moments passed when suddenly the unknown object returned and began following the Merlin C26A in a surprising situation.

This was detected by the RADAR and the FLIR while the personal aboard were trying to make visual contact of the unidentified traffic now following them. In seconds the equipment detected now not only one but two traffics following them. The images in both RADAR and the FLIR were clear and unmistakable. But both pilot and personal still couldn’t have visual contact with these two traffics following them adding a great suspense to this disconcerting situation. Mayor Magdaleno Jasso reported to the base the incident that was taking place giving detail of all the information registered by the equipment while keep trying to make visual contact of the unknowns. The FLIR kept recording in infrared every movement made by the two unknown objects that seemed to be keeping their distance from the C26A but still following it. The personal aboard the Merlin C26A were confused and disconcerted seeing the images on the FLIR and the RADAR asking themselves what was going on with this situation.

THE INCIDENT TURNS MORE DRAMATIC

But the stressing moment that the C26A crew were passing through was just the beginning of something more dramatic that will turn their undesirable experience into a real nightmare. Some minutes passed while the Mexican Air Force Merlin C26A crew continued making manoeuvers to have a visual contact of the unknowns because despite both RADAR and FLIR were showing perfectly clear both unidentified objects for unexplained reasons there was not a visual contact even that the objects by this time were at close range. It was during this round and round manoeuvers to identify these two objects that something amazing happened. In a matter of seconds more unknown objects arrived to the scene and the disconcert of the C26A crew was total.

The RADAR and the FLIR detected immediately the presence of nine new objects of the same size and characteristics, unknown objects that arrived to the scene surprisingly like coming from nowhere.

Now the situation has entered into a high level of danger so Mayor Magdaleno Jasso reported by radio to the base this new situation requesting instructions. But the most bizarre thing was that even though there were eleven unknown objects close to them, still the crew couldn’t see them, no visual contact with the unknowns was possible for some reason never experienced before by these high trained men. However the high tech sophisticated equipment and sensors were not lying, there were eleven targets outside them with unpredictable intentions.

At the middle of a complete confusion and disconcert among the C26A crew the unknown objects suddenly made a manoeuver surrounding the Mexican Air Force airplane in a circle at close range. The RADAR and FLIR presented an image of an eleven objects near by in a circle formation around the Merlin C26A. The situation turned out of control. Mayor Magdaleno Jasso reported to the base that the C26A situation was now in red alert, surrounded by eleven mysterious round shaped objects camouflaged with a certain unknown advanced technology that avoid any visual contact of them.

However Mayor Jasso kept the calm as well as the crew who were working fast measuring and recording every detail of this unique incident conscientious of their duty as military and trained men. Confronting this situation surrounded by unidentified objects in an unpredictable ending Mayor Magdaleno Jasso took the decision of turning out all the airplane lights and wait to see what happened. Moments of high suspense lived by the crew while the FLIR was recording the images of those bright objects even that visual contact was not possible, moments of silence and uncertainty.

The C26A crew kept calmed doing their duty, documenting every moment of the strange incident while Mayor Jasso continued in contact with the base. After some stressing minutes the eleven objects disappeared giving an end to the strange experience that these members of the 501 Aerial Squadron just lived. The Merlin C26A returned safe to the Air Force Base and Mayor Magdaleno Jasso prepared a complete report of the incident along with the C26A crew. The Secretary of the Defense took notice of Mayor Jasso's report and began a full investigation studying and evaluating every element of the case.

Statements of the crew, images, lectures, measurements of all the equipment as well as a complete evaluation of the meteorological data were provided. The incident was taken very seriously by the Department of Defense Staff and after several weeks of investigation they decided under the command of General Clemente Vega Garcia to contact researcher and TV journalist Jaime Maussan for a special collaboration in this investigation as an experienced researcher in these matters. On April 22, 2004 General Clemente Vega, Secretary of Defense gave Jaime Maussan a copy of all the tapes and data collected by the Merlin C26A during the incident for study, evaluation and analysis by Maussan's research team as complement of this investigation and as an external collaborating source trying to establish a definition of the possible motives and consequences of the March 5, 2004 incident.

General Vega as well as his staff were very open to discuss the subject and showed their legitimate interest in conducting this investigation in order to establish the truth of what happened. General Vega authorized the Merlin C26A crew to give Jaime Maussan the interviews needed without any censorship, giving all the facilities to present this case to the Mexican people, an historic and unprecedented decision that will open a new era of mutual collaboration among the Mexican ufologists and the military forces, a collaboration based in respect and interest to find the truth of the intense UFO activity we have been experiencing here in Mexico since the beginning of the Amazing Mexican UFO Wave back in July 11, 1991.

This new era of relationship among the Mexican UFO witnesses, skywatchers, ufologists and our military forces will try to establish and give form to a new legislation in our law system focused to be prepared for any incident involving these unidentified flying objects, our people, our commercial and military airplanes etc. for learning and understanding what are we going to do and how are we going to confront this reality.

MEXICAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE BLAMED FOR HAVING GIVEN DATA TO UFOLOGIST, AND OTHER CLAIMS:

Webmaster's note: the text below obviously relates the big news case of the moment, a report of UFOs sighting comprising infrared camera recordings and testimonies of pilots of the Mexican Air Force, as widely announced in the International mainstream media and very briefly summarized in my latest news section.

Whatever the cause behind these sightings and recordings, if it is ever determined or debated, more information will follow on that in my website, of course. I found the article below interesting in the sense that it shows a behavior I find perfectly rational and sensible on behalf of the Mexican Secretary of Defense.

Essentially, when the media diffused the report of this UFO sightings as were entrusted by the mexican military to Jaime Maussan, a known Mexican journalist and ufologist, known for a long time enthusiasm to UFO matters, criticisms were addressed to the Mexican Secretary of Defense, claiming that is not bad to provide UFO military reports to a ufologist, and that the report and data should have been handed to scientists instead.

The Secretary of Defense makes it perfectly clear that he is not aware of any scientist he should have handed the report to in the first place, and that he holds the data at the disposal of any scientists who would want to check them out, and that there is no ground to be suspicious against the Secretary of Defense.

To be continued...

Rodolofo Garrido cotham:

Mexicain Rodolfo Garrido Cotham has been studying UFO phenomena since the last 22 years and wrote this article to the Mexican Defense.

ANALYSIS OF OBJECT DETECTED ABOVE CIUDAD DEL CARMEN ON MARCH 5, 2004

Studies based on qualitative data provided by the thermal detector in the infra-red spectrum (FLIR)

Study written by:
Rodolfo Garrido Cotham

GENERAL REFERENCES:

Date of event: March 5, 2004.
Time of event: from 05:00 P.M. to 05:30 P.M.
Event: During a mission.
Location: Aerial sector of the city of Del Carmen at 10.500 feet.
Coordinates: LAT N 18° 26.60´ : LON W 90° 45.69´
Detection Equipment: STAR ZAFIRO II FLIR, AN/PS 143 BRAVO VICTOR 3 RADAR
Radio detection: 50 miles.
FLIR bandwidth: from -40°C to 1,500°C
Camera lens: Germanium.
Airplane: Merlín C26A Bimotor

INVOLVED OFFICERS:

Flight commander: Major Magdaleno Jasso Núñez
FLIR operator: Lieutenant Mario Adrián Vázquez
Radar operator: Lieutenant Germán Ramírez
All members of Air Squadron 501

EXCEPTIONAL CONDITIONS OF THE PHENOMENON.

  1. Detection of luminous object correlated via FLIR and radar.
  2. Non-detection of the objects although they were in radar and FLIR range
  3. Non-detection of the objects by [ground] military radar set.
  4. Non-detection of acoustic noise from the objects.
  5. Non-detection of communications and no identification from the objects [When contacted by radio, IFF or transponder, objects gave no reply].

PRELIMINARY ANALYTICAL APPROCH.

The equipment specified in the section of General References establishes only the detection of the movement in the case of the Radar, and a presence of heat marked by a difference with the basic temperature [in the case of the FLIR].

The specified FLIR provides only images of qualitative and nonquantitative value. Thus the data collected and provided by the officials indicate only visual parameters [apparent] and not quantified numerical parameters.

More sophisticated equipment makes it possible to store in a standard PCMCIA card a total of 170 Mb of information, which consist of digital representations of each pixel by providing information of the quantity of temperature per pixel, the distances and the specific contour of the form.

In the absence of such equipment and this information, the images only make it possible to establish in an optical and deductive manner some aspects of the chemical, electric, magnetic and electromagnetic nature and some interesting elated phenomena in connection with the systems which are found in the environment, of the objects of study such as unusual halations, clouds, reflections and the study of relief.

GENERAL CONDITIONS.

The area in which the flight took place benefited of prefect weather conditions, of winds not faster than 35 km/h, a relative humidity of 72% and an average temperature of 34°C. At 10.000 feet of altitude, the average temperature is -27°C and the average visibility is 96%.

The area does not have a volcanic activity, nor tectonic movements. No power stations or power storage or and distribution systems of electrical current of importance are located there.

On the basis of the previous notes, no sources of electric or magnetic phenomena from power stations or seismic movements, no possibility of effects of fireball effects or volcanic activity were found.

No solar storm was recorded at this time, nor of significant solar explosions, which eliminates the luminous effects of ionization like Saint Telmo fires [sic. Saint Elme] or thunderstorms.

ANALYSIS.

Given the lack of quantitative values by the equipment, we can only draw up qualitative estimates starting from the images and experiments of the operators in the tower, in such a manner, that the detected patterns which follow are signs of a logical explanation fitting normal things of aviation technology as they are known throughout the world and which represent what is conventional.

In the following image, we observe two symmetrical objects of spherical nature, suspended at some 10.700 feet, of luminous conditions, of radiant type, which show the the emission of a hot halation for each one of them.

The observed conditions allow the analysis of the following points.

1. - The observed halations which follow indicate a magnetic pattern according to the model of the standard a2 Dynamo type.

This model is proposed by Dr in Physics and Mathematical S. Childress, who in its treaty of kinematics established the way one can obtain fields of the toroidal type and with poles similar to that produced by the electromagnetic field of the whole planet.

His model JB' /Jt - kmV2B = (v - B0) determines the magnetic field derived from the fluctuating parts of each object. With this model, the circuits formed by the fields are similar to those observed in the image, this is why one determines that the halation is presented thus.

2. - The induced field is radial and is propagated in a concentric way at a distance of 13 times the diameter of the object, note that the clouds do not present any halation although the FLIR detects a thermal emission coming from them, which shows visually that the halation is not produced by an emission or a thermal reflection of the sun, but a means of thermal dissipation thanks to the electromagnetic field present in the studied objects. The systems of current air transport do not depend on these principles for their lift and move by the means of the mechanics of the fluids, and of the dynamics of the fluids in homogeneous medium, the systems of magnetic dynamics are governed on the basis of emission of stationary sources of energy on the ground being given the great consumed quantities and their generation. There is no existing technology so far to allow so great requests for energies in reduced systems of size and even less in systems closed and autonomous like would be an air vessel. The production of an induced field as one sees it in the image, requires to produce at least an average magnetic field from 200.000 Gauss. Such a power is only obtained by certain laboratories having important systems of control and safety. I do not see how that could be obtained in an autonomous way in an object isolated in the atmosphere.

3. - No matter how the previous model originates, it is formalized in the mathematical relations provided by Maxwell:

VxH = J + JD/Jt

VxE = - JB/Jt

V * B = 0

V * D = Pe

These can support the presence of magnetic fields of Turbulent Dynamo type, those same which were developed by Dr. in Astrophysics E.N. Parker (B = B0 + b), while being at the origin of the secondary fields which could be likely to correspond to a technological will, so that they can support the presence and represent what would be vortices of a greater energy and being the hearths of thermal attraction for the thermal sensors of the FLIR, As we note it in the lower part of the image. These principles are only found in the behavior of stellar bodies, not in current technology, since the fields are so intense that we do not lay out yet the development as well scientific as technological to obtain them. It is advisable to clarify that these disturbances are not the hearths of the field which produces the object, since as one can see the concentric radial field of each object he does not have as a center of reference the point where he is detected by the FLIR. The reference of origin is the same central object.

The magnetic field of one of the objects is larger than that of the other, indicating by there that they are independent between them, by indicating most probably which one of them is slightly further that the other, or if necessary, that it emits a weaker field.

4. - The stereoscopic images [the analyst used the emboss effect of some graphic software] show us the presence of two masses which move in a second plan in comparison to the mass of the clouds shows it, by indicating to us that the echo collected by the effect of magnetic resonance of the radar is correct and real, again confirming the agreement with the correspondingvdetection of the FLIR, this indicating that the two radars detect a thermal presence and a presence of mass in the same place and at the same time.

The stereoscopic image also shows that the emitted field disturbs the environment also by leaving a trace in relief on the atmosphere in the peripheral zone of the objects. Facing this evidence shown in this image, the fact that the objects could not be seen with the naked eye cannot be explained, considering that those were not farther away than two miles of distance, unless these objects emitted in the spectrum of the infrared, so that they this do not correspond to any known technology of air transport, which do not use such principles.

On this point, I present some technological suggestions of avant-garde on the camouflages worked out by the University of Tokyo later on.

5. - Another distinctive element in this analysis of the detected objects which deserves to be underlined is as follows:

The combination of observed magnetic field which jointly surrounds these objects within their displacement, is at the origin of its deformation which is very typical of those awaited in the electrodynamics of the magnetic fields in medium homogeneous.

This means that the magnetic field produces a friction within the magnetic medium present in the atmosphere while being at the origin of the phenomena of ionization at the time when one of them tends to move.

This movement causes a typical deformation on the field produced by the object, so that, being given the magnetic induction of the object, it is deformed while being directed towards the ionic zone of discharge to justify its balance with the environment. This zone is by nature opposed to its direction of displacement, producing a trail of the "jet" type and a deformation of the field in this direction. This phenomena with its details as one can see it in these images, are another element which justifies and gives evidence that these objects have intense magnetic fields for their navigation, and their antigravitational lift.

6. - Another important aspect is as follows: it is still an inexorable universal law. Entropy, ò¶Q/T £ 0, in other words the principle of chaos.

Random aspects of natural events are based on this universal law, this is why natural systems tend to this principle, therefore the occurence of aerial formations of these objects as it is visible in these images do not obey this natural law, on the contrary they correspond to antinatural controlled events which are necessarily of a technological nature by their controlled navigation.

The detected evidence recorded by the officers on this mission showing that the objects made a 180° turn when they [the crew] received the order to return, show that there is an action by these objects, deliberated, with an intent, and intelligent.

In addition the formations are symmetrical and they are repeated in similar groups of formations. The fact that these objects are coming towards the military airplane is described as being of a strategic nature, so that the officers who benefit from a preparation and a qualification in military tactic detect that in agreement with the movement and the distribution that these objects took, they considered that they were encircled by them. So much so that they took tactical measures at the time to extinguish the plane's lights.

Although there was no other evidence of aggression or threat by these objects, their movements and formations correspond to tactical operations, ordered, pre-deliberated and intelligent.

7. - As regards to the thermal sources detected and indicated by the FLIR in the following image, it is advisable to make an observation of a detail of this phenomenon.

Initially, the question arose of knowing if these luminous points formed part physically of a whole object or if on the contrary they should be regarded as independent of them... Our initial approaches indicated that they formed integral part of them, by constituting a kind of extension of their structures; a thorough analysis however revealed than it can be a question of a magnetic mirage in agreement with the following signals and the following principles of mathematical physics of fields of the synchrotonic type.

This can be observed in the following manner: initially the radial fields produce a concentric propagation which draws halations whose changes of frequency are what gives the proof of their existence.

In addition, the two sources of light are placed under the radiant objects and not in another position, i.e., they are not placed at the sides nor either above the object.

The answer can be discovered with the following observation and the following assumption:

The sources are precisely in the radial frequency of the first visible halation, one observes that the source does not show a physical connection with the larger sphere.

On the basis that these objects have a mass, that this mass is attracted towards the center of this mass larger which is the ground and than the ground is under the objects, we must establish by that that the vector of gravity of their mass points downwards and not in another direction.

By considering that the halations are evidence of intense and dynamic magnetic fields, we must establish that the interaction between the magnetic field of the largest sphere and the vector of the gravity which is also a force, interact in a way radial and physical, by producing an energy vortex which in its turn, emits light and heat, to which the sensors of the FLIR are sensitive and that they detect.

Modelling for this vortex were already established by science, initially during year 1965 by Dr in Quantum Physics Richard Feynman, Nobel Prize during this same year, who described in its Theory of Quantum Electrodynamics, that in the interaction of two fields of forces of which one is not magnetic, produced in a natural manner, a quantum field of torsion is produced which behaves as a spring, whose direction is opposed to the normal vector of reference.

Laws which govern this principle were established by Dr. V. Vladimirsky in 1949, who from there began the theory of synchrotonic radiations, whose principle and formulation are shown in the following figure.

INVISIBILITY

Dr Susumu Tachi of the University of Tokyo developed the currently most advanced techniques of camouflage, known under designations "Crystaline Vision" or "XTAL VISION" which allows an effect of invisibility onto the matter.

The initial technique in its phase 1 consisted of this:

    A detection device which combines moving images and is able to remotely reflect them in parts of clothing, creates the illusion of transparency of the matter and a pseudo invisibility, as was verified by Japanese engineer Susumu Tachi, of the University of Tokyo.

The result of the experiment is surprising, because thanks to the optical device, the person who makes the experiment is transparent. The used technique is called optical Camouflage and is based on a very simple idea: if an image of what is behind a person is projected on the front clothes he wears, the illusion that his body is transparent is created.

The technique can be applied to a real moving scene through retro-reflectors, a collection of mirrors which reflect at various angles some given space. It is this retro-reflector which, strategically located, gathers light from things hidden by a material object and offers to the observer a stereoscopic image of "the other side"; it results in the misleading illusion that the material object is transparent. The goal of this work on virtual reality consists in, on the one hand, developing a device which makes it possible to an observer to touch a virtual object as if it were real. For this purpose, Xtal vision is also employed, to obtain a very adequate effect of "enhanced reality". This enhanced reality is such as it makes it possible to confuse, or to unify, a virtual scene with a real scene in such a manner that a real hand is observed when it acts in a virtual space.

In addition, this work develops what is called optical camouflage. It is the technique which produces an illusion that objects appear invisible, thanks to a perfect synchronization obtained between the real objects and what is virtual. This work is developed in the Tachi Laboratory, of the University of Tokyo, at the leading edge in the development of innovating applications in the field of virtual reality. In addition to invisibility, the project also works on tele-existence, which consists in handling remote objects, or to get objects in virtual spaces, individual or shared, in which a feeling of real presence is developed.

At this time, phase 2 of this new and surprising optical effect is to try to incorporate this optical technology in nanotechnologic membranes, which membranes will incorporate the optical technology necessary for this stereoscopic effect.

In appendix, archive animations of these optical developments provided by Dr. Susumu Tachi itself.

This camouflage system could make a mass apparently invisible, but would still let heat be recorded through infra-red sensors as well as electromagnetic resonances by means of radars.

REFERENCES

  • 1.- GENERATION OF PLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDSS, Ana Leonor Rivera López, Instituto de Geofísica UNAM
  • 2.- New solution for cenimatic systems probles, S. Childress J. Match 1, 205
  • 3.- Quantum Physics, Resnick Ed. Limusa
  • 4.- Thermodynamics, Gordon Van Wylen Limusa

Rodolfo Garrido Cotham

SECRETARY OF DEFENSE OF MEXICO ANSWERS SOME ALLEGATIONS:

Essentially, when mass media told that the report and the data of the Mexican Air Force sighting were entrusted to Jaime Maussan, a Mexican journalist known for his long time enthusiasm for UFO matters, criticisms were addressed to the Secretary of Defense of Mexico, claiming that it is not a good practice to hand UFO sightings reports to a ufologist, and that it should have been handed to scientists instead.

The Secretary of Defense makes it clear that he does not know of scientists interested in UFO reports to whom he should have address the data, and that he will show the data to any scientist who should want to use them, and that therefore it is silly to question the intentions of the Mexican Defence.

Source: Fundacion Cosmos AC and Milenio de Monterrey
Date: May 12, 2004

Material Not Turned Over to Scientists Because We Do Not Know Them"

Suspicious that SEDENA did not turn over the video to scientists

The videos showing strange objects picked up by military aircraft were turned over to Jaime Maussan because he is a person "who has been interested all of his life" in the study of said phenomena, and was not given to scientists from institutions of higher learning "perhaps because we do not know them or know who they might be," according to General Gerardo Clemente Vega Garcia, Secretary of Defense.

"I have no objections to scientists analyzing this and seeing it, nor do I have any reason to wonder why we didn't turn it over to them - perhaps because we do not know them or know who they might be. Under no circumstances can I suspect any bad faith in the matter," said Vega with regard to the statements collected by MILENIO regarding the delivery of evidence to the UFO researcher, rather than requesting validation from scientific organizations.

The Defense Secretary likewise rejected that this could be a distraction on the part of the federal government, as some policy watchers have suggested, especially as the Ahumada case reached its zenith and affected diplomatic relations with Cuba. "I don't engage in such things, "said the military man.

In an interview with the "Hoy por Hoy" radio show hosted by Carlos Loret de Mola, Vega Garcia remarked that upon seeing the recording "I thought that with the amount of drug traffic in the southeast, these could be drug-carrying aircraft. That was my first impression, because we are constantly working on this. Two days ago we captured a private plane with drugs, but when I discerned it along with (other experts), seeing the lights behind the airplane, its nose and its sides, I told myself there couldn't be so many aircraft."

He added that "of course, the phenomenon is unexplained" and made it clear that Mexican military personnel "never speak of UFOs or saucers or anything like that - only the sighting of very strange contacts, incomprehensible in that situation, since there was absolutely nothing flying in the area, according to reports from the Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche airport."

The Defense Secretary acknowledged that there were those who said that "we are here to distract the public's attention from the current situation. That is not my purpose, nor do I as a military man engage in such things."

He acknowledged, however, that there are those who believe in a distraction theory "and have the right to think as freely as the may, but I can guarantee that there is no effort of such a nature."

It was remarked that it is unusual for a government or military agency such as the Secretary of Defense (SEDENA) to take the decision to publish a document of such a nature. He was asked if he had any personal hypothesis about what is shown in the recordings. He replied: "I have no hypothesis. All I can say is that those white spots are there, they were recorded, and that is all the information we have."

Finally, he pointed out that this "can in no way" be considered a matter of national security, acknowledging that in the U.S. there is much talk about sightings all over the world. "There is a community interested in seeing this, but that is far from me. All I do is make the media available. There it is - there are no complications nor is there anything extraordinary about it," adding that if any researcher or scientist is interested in seeing the material, it will be at their disposal at SEDENA.

Translation (c) Scott Corrales, Institute of Hispanic Ufology.
Special thanks to Ing. Marco Reynoso.

The opinion of a FLIR specialist:

From: Santiago Yturria
To: ufoupdates@virtuallystrange.net
Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 00:53:55 -0500
Sujet: Mexico's FLIR Rep On AF UFO Case

As part of the investigation, the FLIR representative for Mexico, Mr. Gilberto Rocha, was interviewed by Jaime Maussan regarding the images recorded by the FLIR STAR SAFIRE II aboard the Mexican Air Force Merlin airplane during the March 5, 2004 incident over the Campeche area.

NOTE: The comments and opinions expresed by Mr. Gilberto Rocha are his own, based on his experience and knowledge of the FLIR STAR SAFIRE II operational functions and do not necesarely represent FLIR Systems, Inc.'s opinion and points of view.

Question: Mr. Rocha, you just have reviewed some images recorded by the Air Force during an anti-narcotics operation over Campeche on March 5, 2004. What is your opinion about them?

Answer: These are interesting images because they are not common. I will try to explain myself. The human eye perceives certain light frequencies that the sun emits. Beyond these frequencies the human eye doesn't have the capacity to perceive those images. The infrared source or the infrared rays can only be detected with the FLIR or with special cameras that can detect infrared radiation.

The equipment the Air Force is using has the capacity to detect visible images and infrared images. The images that we saw from the Air Force footage correspond to objects that emit temperature - they are emitting heat and they are emitting radiation to the exterior and the camera is reading this.

These images may have low resolution because of the distance that we are measuring, but represent round-shaped objects that cannot be compared to any known object that we have been looking for in our air space.

Question: Could these have been any kind of conventional aircraft?

Answer: No, because conventional aircraft have very well defined temperature in their turbines and in front where friction is registered, therefore they could not be seen as rounded lights.

If we had a closer image of the objects, perhaps we could have a better definition of the shape of these objects but due to the information we have, these objects are round-shaped and we cannot consider them as airplanes.

Question: Any possibility of the objects being a helicopter?

Answer: No, it's the same case: the turbine and blades would be the point of highest temperature defining the shape of the helicopter and it would be always a known shape not a round- shaped object.

Question: If these objects are not any known aircraft what do you think they are?

Answer: In the strict sense of the word, avoiding any distortion or confusion, these are objects that fly and we cannot identify.

Question: Is it possible that the FLIR could have been giving us false information, that these high temperature readings were non-existent?

Answer: Negative, because in the images we are seeing clouds that have a higher temperature than the ambient average temperature, and we can see the cloud silhouettes because the FLIR is detecting their infrared frequency.

The objects that we are seeing are the points of higest temperature there. Personally, I have never seen anything like this. My experience with these cameras is completely industrial, we analyse a whole variety of industrial appliances as well as for the electrical industry, but for me the case of the Mexican Air Force is very unusual.

The opinion of the Deputy Director of the Mexico City Weather Services:

From: Santiago Yturria
To: ufoupdates@virtuallystrange.net
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 13:07:29 -0500
Subject: Mexico's Meteorological Expert On 03-05-04 Conditions

These are the statements made by Alberto Hernandez Unzon yesterday, during an interview on television about the Mexican Air Force UFO case.

Engineer in Geophysics Alberto Hernandez is sub-manager of the National Meteorological Services, Mexico's official meteorological center. He is also a Member of the Scientific Advisory Commitee of the National System for Civil Protection, and Member of the Hurricane Committee of the Worldwide Meteorological Association.

Question: Alberto, you made the National Meteorological Service's complete study of the March 5, 2004 meteorological conditions over the Campeche area. What are the results?

Answer: According to the satellite images, the conditions registered in the observatories and the satellite RADAR images, there were stable conditions in the entire Campeche zone. In the specific area of interest in this issue, there were cloud formations and some stratus clouds that are stable conditions for this season.

There were no rains registered and the cloud type was very stable as we can see in these satellite images and the Air Force video.

Question: There have been some statements pointing that there were flash-lightning conditions in the area at that time. What were the conditions at that time?

Answer: Meteorologically speaking, a lightning flash is of a short duration and short intensity. That's the basic definition. We have all witnessed an electrical storm at sometime. Special conditions are required for an electrical storm - big, vertical clouds and a completely unstable atmosphere, ionization in the atmosphere and the meteorological systems that create that type of cloud.

Question: That means that the meteorological conditions were not suitable for lightning that day over Campeche and therefore contradicts what the UNAM scientists claimed in their report?

Answer: Yes. On March 5, we were entering into the final stage of the winter season. The meteorological conditions in this season are of cold fronts but that day in particular there were none present. What we had were the type of clouds that do not cause the flash phenomena.

Question: Did the scientists from the UNAM approach the National Meteorological Services to request the meteorological conditions over Campeche to support their theory?

Answer: No, they have never approached us at any time. If they are talking about a meteorological phenomena at that location, they should have met with us at the National Meteorological Services to obtain the meteorological conditions just like your team, as well as journalists did.

There were no weather balloons sent up in that area.

Question: What's the duration of a flash of lightning?

Answer: A flash lasts microseconds. We cannot talk even of one or two seconds because it's just a single discharge. To say that these lights on the video are ball lighting or electrical sparks is nonsense.

I repeat, that day there were no meteorological conditions for flash or ball lightning in the entire Campeche area. The clouds must have been at approximately 7 kilometers high therefore what we see are stable stratus cloud formations.

Question: What could we be seeing here in this video?

Answer: If this is an optical phenomenon it cannot be referred to Meteorology. It is not a photo meteor, it is not a litho meteor. They are not ice crystals nor a St. Elmo's fire. Those are all meteorological phenomena. And this is not a mirage phenomena.

In conclusion, we do not have an explanation to this phenomena. There are satellites Aqua and Terra and we can request NASA to send us images of that day to continue this study and get more information to try to find out what could have happened that day.

Questions and answers:

During discussions on the case among ufologist with all possible opinions, I have noted some questions or claims and attempted to answer them. Here is a summary of those.

What gear was involved in the detection?

The Forward-Looking InfraRed (FLIR) camera's technical documentation can be found at:

http://www.flir.com/imaging/Airborne/Products/StarSafireII.aspx

Radar set's documentation:

http://www.telephonics.com/products/MaritimeSurveillance.shtml#anaps147

The aircraft, a Fairchild-Dornier Merlin C-26A, also called Metroline or Metro III:

http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/c-26.htm

(Fairchild-Dornier went bankrupt two or three years ago if I remember well, this is why there is no company's data sheet on the Internet anymore)

When analyzing the phenomena's movement from the video, we may be fooled by the wind which would move the clouds which may create an illusion of movement.

Sure. You may want to refer to the windspeed indicated by the Mexican Air Force: "no more than 35 km/h" when you evaluate the impact of this illusion. This does not impact very relevantly on the problem: the phenomena speed varied from 120 kmh at times to typically 240 - 500 mph at most other times, including disappearances which may be fast speed manoeuvers appearing as disparitions.

On the video recording, there are some blinking x and + which are navigation lights of these phenomena, therefore they are conventional airplane.

No.

Some low definition versions of the original video may be creating this illusion. I understand that the high quality full version of the video is long to download. This is why you may simply want to check at the frame from the video underneath to better see what the + and the x are:

The + and the x which seem to be on or around the phenomena are electronic indicators displayed on the HUD (Head Up Display) of the pilot of the Mexican aircraft and not features of the phenomena. A choice of data from the various electronic sensors of the plane (FLIR, radar, altimeter etc.) can be selected by the pilot to be displayed on the HUD. The HUD allows the pilot to watch these information while looking at the reality at the same time.

An hypothesis: they could have been jet fighters of the Mexican Air Force.

It makes no sense here. Airplanes have a so-called IFF system, - aka Identification Friend or Foe - which allow their crew to know who is theirs and who is not theirs. They also have radio and it is clear from the report that they tried to communicate with the phenomena.

If the IFF or other equiment did not function, they would have noticed. And in any case, the subsequent debriefing after the mission would have made clear that the UFOS were mexican jet fighters, if that would have been the case.

How the media reported the story:

May 12, 2004, ABC NewsOnline, "Mexico Air Force video creates UFO stir"

ABC Online provides the Reuters newsclip.

www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s1106371.htm

May 12, 2004, Worldwide coverage

CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC and many news agencies and TV network broadcast video extracts and/or published the Reuters newsclip on their website.

May 12, 2004, KFI Radio, LA, USA: no sarcastic comments.

Ufologist Greg Boone reports to UFOupdates that KFI radio, 640 AM in Los Angeles, an important station there, the "John and Ken" show highlighted the story "and no sarcastic comments followed! Normally any news story highlighted during this show fosters a comment in one way or another from good ol' John and Ken."

(http://www.virtuallystrange.net/ufo/updates)

May 12, 2004, Hollywood.com: "who doesn't love a great UFO movie?"

Hollywood.com tells of the "weird UFO story" of the Mexican sightings, and suggests to buy the brand new X-Files DVD.

They repeat the Reuters paragraph, "Mexico has a long history of UFO sightings, most of which are dismissed by scientists as space debris, missiles, weather balloons, natural atmospheric phenomena or hoaxes."

(http://www.hollywood.com/news/detail/article/1752748)

May 12, 2004, Euronews, information TV channel, Europe.

Euronews broadcast the infrared film. The series of round heat sources is clearly shown, including a closeup on the two large symetrical rounds.

May 12, 2004, the Internet.

Many information portals publish the news. See
www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/12/1084289693075.html
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=122&art_id=qw1084294082176B252&set_id=1
http://www.thesandiegochannel.com/news/3292542/detail.html

May 13, 2004, FOX news station Channel 4, Dallas, Texas, USA: "It makes you think."

Ufologist Terry Groff watched a replay of the FOX news station Channel 4, Dallas, Texas, USA, and noted to UFOupdates that they had put "a 20 second report on the sighting. This isn't particularly spectacular but what I noticed was that the demeanor of the newscasters was quite calm but serious with the last comment being "It makes you think".

(http://www.virtuallystrange.net/ufo/updates)

May 13, 2004, "EL Universal" newspaper, Mexico: "It's all weather balloons."

The newspaper provides "the scientific explanation of the researchers of Sociedad Astronomica Urania," that the UFOs "were weather balloons, because weather balloons are often launched and pilots think they are UFOs."

Article here.

May 13, 2004, newspaper "Der Spiegel" (The Mirror), Germany: "experts consider the UFOs to be lightning."

The newspaper indicates that "experts consider that these UFOs are lightning" but that "other experts are astonished at that explanation." Der Spiegel refers to statements by researchers Rafael Navarro González and Julio Herrera Velázquez of the nuclear institute of the National Mexican University. They explained that these UFOs were plasma.

(http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/erde/0,1518,299728,00.html)

May 13, AP echoes an "expert"'s explanation, it's "hot gas."

Newspapers worldwide reproduce the confuse and erroneous "explanation" and media forget the incident.

Article here.

Since then...

"Vrai Journal" (True Journal, a satirical borderline tabloid type TV show) by Karl Zéro on Canal Plus TV channel giggles: mexican pilot use cocain and that's why they see flying saucers.

To be continued...

Explanation craze:

As usual when a sighting report gets media attention, which is exceptional, a crowd of scientists, ufologists, enthusiasts, journalists, skeptics and others give up to a haste to "explain" the case as soon as the next day.

As of May 14, 2004, their "explanations" already included:

To be continued...


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This page was last updated on June 8, 2004