Date: Sun, 04 Jan 1998 01:57:33 +0000
From: Dave Ledger 
To: updates@globalserve.net
Subject: [Fwd: Mysterious Scottish Explosions (update)October 1997]
Date: Sun, 04 Jan 1998 01:50:04 +0000
Hi Folks,
I remember a few weeks or so ago,a report concerning mysterious=20
explosions over Scotland was posted to the various lists.
We have managed to access further data relating to this incident=20
and thought that you all may find it of interest.
Thanks for your time.
Dave Ledger.
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MYSTERY EXPLOSIONS OVER SCOTLAND.
Saturday 26th of October 1997.5:00pm GMT.
       =20
A massive sea search was launched on Saturday 26th of October=20
after reports of explosions and objects falling into the sea off=20
the West coast of Scotland.
At around 17.00hrs eye witnesses reported seeing the explosion in=20
the sky  off the Butt of Lewis. The area is the exact point where=20
transatlantic flights enter British airspace. The RAF could not=20
rule out an air collision and mounted a full search which cost=20
=A3200,000, but they found nothing, or so the official line says.
       =20
One eye witness reported a large aircraft and a smaller one=20
collide. Another heard a couple of loud bangs and saw debris=20
falling from the sky. But Air Traffic Control at Prestwick said=20
they had no reports of planes missing.
        =20
A RAF spokesman from Kinross said, "We have a special unit=20
investigating the matter. One of the things we are looking into=20
is that it is space debris. But we are also
searching through all the radar tapes around the time of the=20
incident to see if there is any trace of aircraft.
Stornoway Coastguard initially mounted a helicopter sea search=20
but as reports increased a RAF Sea King and a Nimrod joined in.=20
Lochinver Lifeboat was launched and all the shipping alerted in=20
the area. A French fishing boat, at the time off Lewis also=20
headed for the area as did the Port Salvo which usually operated=20
in the Minch. Police and ambulance crews were also standing by at=20
Ness, in case of survivors.
Witnesses reported a large pall of smoke out to sea. Another=20
shocked resident said, "It lit up the sky and then fell to the=20
sea. It was like a scene from the X-Files." Norman MacDonald of=20
Skigersta Road said, "When I heard it at first, I thought it was=20
a firework because its not long to Guy Fawkes night. Then I saw a=20
trail of smoke. I saw three flashes in total and heard a further=20
two bangs."
    =20
"I rushed into the local shop, and took the staff and customers=20
out. They also saw the dense smoke trail going into the sea."=20
The top secret RAF tracking station of Flyingdales in Yorkshire=20
was asked for any information that they may have picked up, but=20
they said they had detected nothing. Flyingdales is equipped with=20
highly sensitive tracking devices which gives warning of any=20
nuclear missile attack on Britain.
         =20
American military scientists from Sandia National Laboratories,=20
which operate spy satellites from their base in Alburguerque, New=20
Mexico are also interested in the incident and have begun their=20
own investigations. The involvement of the US military has=20
sparked off rumours as the military somehow being involved in the=20
incident although they deny all knowledge of it. Incidentally two=20
days later the same area saw a NATO exercise involving thirty=20
ships and eighty aircraft.
         =20
Professor Mark Bailey of the Armagh observatory in Northern=20
Ireland admitted he was puzzled and said, "I am torn between this=20
being caused by the military, such as target practice, and a=20
natural phenomena such as a fireball."=20
         =20
The SNP claims it has information that a naval frigate was in the=20
area shortly after the incident lifting wreckage from the sea and=20
Margaret Ewing is being asked to raise
the matter in the Commons.
         =20
Meanwhile Nick Pope has taken an interest in the incident and is=20
carrying out his own investigations saying that he would not rule=20
out the possibility of this being a UFO.
(Special thanks to our friend Mark Fraser at Haunted Scotland=20
 Magazine.)
--- FMail 1.22
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