11 UFOs filmed on infra-red camera by the military over Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico.
On May 11, 2004 many Mexican and foreign newspapers headlines were covered with the story of a video, that the Mexican military had filmed , showing 11 UFOs on infra-red camera, and the Mexican Department of Defence under Defence General Clemente Vega Garcia – commander of the armed forces – made the unusual step of officially confirming the incident. The press conference was held at the Hotel Sevilla Palace in Mexico City, and the international media were invited.
UFOs over Mexico
Jaime Maussan´s press release distributed at the meeting:
On 20 April 2004 Jaime Maussan was contacted by a senior officer from the Ministry of Defence regarding a private meeting where they were to discuss a very important topic.
The following day Maussan met General Clemente Vega Garcia and his entourage from the Ministry of Defence. On this meeting Maussan was informed about the incident that took place on 5 March 2004 in the airspace over Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, where one of the Air Force Merlin C26A twin-engined aircraft was on a routine flight to detect drug traffickers in an anti-drug operation.
The Merlin C26A aircraft was equipped with advanced digital equipment to detect and record all activities of the operation. Very sensitive detectors, a FLIR STAR Safire II and a RADAR AN / PS 143 BRAVO VICTOR 3 were served by the trained crew on board the aircraft and all operations were filmed both in the visible and infra-red spectrum. The aircraft was commanded by Major Magdaleno Jasso Núñez.
The FLIR operator was Lt. Mario Adrián Vázquez and the RADAR operator was Lt. Germantown Ramirez – both from Flight Squadron 501. The plane was only equipped to carry out monitoring tasks and not for combat and war missions. The crews task was to detect and identify drug traffickers and immediate reporting to the base, where fighters so would be sent up to catch drug smugglers.
At approx. 17.00 hours the Merlin C26A registered unknown “traffic” in the airspace 3,500 m above Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, and as it could be a drug trafficker , Major Magdaleno Jasso proceeded with a maneuver to get closer to the unknown “traffic” and filming the target with the aircraft equipment.
At the same time Gen. Jasso reported by radio to the base that they had detected a possible suspect and asked that a fighter plane was made ready. The RADAR AN / PS 143 BRAVO VICTOR 3 registered the unknown “traffic” and the FLIR STAR Safire II imaged the object in the infra red spectrum. As the Merlin C26A tried to approach the unknown “traffic” to make a visual identification, the object performed a surprising manoeuvre, and flew away at incredible speed.
At this time Gen. Jasso tried to persecute the object l, but it was too fast. All this was filmed by FLIR, and radio communication with the base, where the unknown object’s maneuver was described, was recorded
C26A had not yet received visual contact with the unknown object. After a short while the unknown object suddenly returned and began to pursue the Merlin C26A – a surprising situation.
This was recorded by RADAR and FLIR, while their crews tried to get visual contact with the unidentified “traffic”, which now pursued them. Within a few seconds the equipment registered not just one unknown “traffic”, but two.
Pictures on both RADAR and FLIR were clear and explicit. But neither the pilot or the rest of the crew could get visual contact with the two pursuers, which increased the tension in this confusing situation. Major Magdaleno Jasso reported to the base of the incident, about how things evolved. He passed all the details which the device registered, while trying to gain visual contact with the unknown. FLIR still imaged the two unknown objects, and their movements in the infra-red spectrum. They kept their distance from the C26A while they still followed it. The crew aboard the Merlin C26A were confused when they saw the images on FLIR and RADAR, and asked themselves, what was really happening.
The incident becomes more dramatic
But the stressful situation that C26A-crew found themselves in was just the beginning of something more dramatic that would get the experience to look like a pure nightmare. It took a few minutes while the Mexican Air Force Merlin C26A crew was still trying to get a visual contact with the unknown objects. Despite the fact that both RADAR and FLIR clearly showed both unidentified objects, it was inexplicably why they were unable to get visual contact, although the objects was close at times. It was during these circling manoeuvres, in an attempt to identify the two objects, something amazing happened. Within a very short time several unidentified objects showed up, and the confusion among the C26A crew was total.
Star SAFIRE II
The RADAR and FLIR registered immediately the presence of nine new objects with similar size and characteristics which unexpectedly showed up as if they came straight out of nothing.
Now it suddenly became very dangerous, so Major Magdaleno Jasso reported by radio to the base about the new situation, and called for new instructions. But the most bizarre was that although there were 11 unknown objects close to them, the crew could still not see them. It was for some strange reason not possible to have visual contact, with the unknown objects, which had never happened before for the very experienced men. The high-tech equipment and sensors did not lie, there were 11 targets, with unknown intentions close to them.
While the confusion among the C26A crew was at its highest,the the unknown objects suddenly made a maneuver and surrounded the plane from the Mexican Air Force in a circle very close.The RADAR and FLIR showed a picture of 11 objects very close in a circle formation around the Merlin C26A. The situation got completely out of control. and Major Magdaleno Jasso reported to the base that the state of the C26A now was in red alert, surrounded by 11 mysterious, round objects camouflaged with an unknown, advanced technology, which prevented any visual contact with them.
Major Jasso and the rest of the crew kept calm and worked quickly to detect and record every detail of this unique event. They worked conscientiously and did their duty as experienced military personnel. When they were surrounded by unidentified objects with unknown intentions, Major Magdaleno Jasso took the decision to extinguish all light on the aircraft and see what would happen. The crew experienced a period of uncertainty and tension, while the FLIR took pictures of the bright objects, even though it was not possible to have visual contact – moments of silence and uncertainty.
The C26A crew went quietly on with their work and documented any movement made by the unknown objects while Gen. Jasso was in constant contact with the base. After some very stressful minutes the 11 objects disappeared and ended the weird experience that the crew from 501 Aerial Squadron had just had.
The C26A Crew
The crew of the Merlin C26A.
The Merlin C26A returned safely to base, and Major Magdaleno Jasso wrote a full report on the incident along with the C26A crew. Defence Minister Gen. read Jassos report and launched a thorough investigation in which all elements of the case was studied – statements from the crew, pictures, measurements from all the equipment as well as a full examination of meteorological data.
The incident was taken very seriously by the Department of Defence staff, and after several weeks of study, General Clemente Vega Garcia took contact to researcher and tv journalist Jaime Maussan for cooperation as an experienced researcher on the further investigation of the case. On 22 April 2004 the Defense General Clemente Vega gave Jaime Maussan a copy of all tapes and data collected by the Merlin C26A during the incident. Maussan and his research team would as external partners make a very careful study and analysis in an attempt to shed light on the incident on 5 March 2004 and if possible to uncover motives and consequences.
General Vega as well as his staff was very open and willing to talk about the case. They also showed great interest to examine what happened. General Vega allowed Jaime Maussan to interview the Merlin C26A crew without any form of censorship, this was made to be able to inform the Mexican population at a later date –about a historic and surprising decision that will open a new era of mutual cooperation between the Mexican ufologists and military cooperation based on respect and concern for the truth behind the intense UFO activity that have been observed in Mexico since the beginning of the amazing Mexican UFO Wave which took place at 11th July 1991.
This new era of cooperation between Mexican UFO observers, stargazers, ufologists and our military forces will pave the way for an entirely new regulatory system that can cater for any incident involving these unidentified flying objects, ordinary people, commercial and military aircraft, etc., so we can learn and understand how we must relate to reality.
— (End of press release)
TECHNICAL DATA
DATE: March 5, 2004
TIME: 17:00 PM to 17:30 pm
EVENT: On Comision
LOCATION: Aerial Space Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche Mexico at
10,500 Fts.
COORDINATES: LAT N 18° 26.60´ : LON W 90° 45.69´
SENSOR EQUIPMENT: FLIR STAR SAFIRE II
RADAR AN/PS 143 BRAVO VICTOR 3
DETECTION RATIO: 50 miles
FLIR RANGE: – 40°C till more than 1,500°C
CAMERA LENS: GERMANIO
AIRPLANE: Merlin C26A Bimotor
OFFICERS
Navigation Captain: Magdaleno Jasso Nuñez
FLIR Operator : Lt. Mario Adrian Vasquez
RADAR Operator: Lt. German Ramirez
Members of the 501 Aerial Squadron
GENERAL CONDITIONS:
The located zone was in optimal meteorological conditions, winds no bigger than 35 kms. / hour, relative humidity of 72% and a temperature average of 34° C. At 10,500 Fts. temperature average -27° C and a visibility average of 96%.
The region didn’t register any volcanic activity nor tectonic movements. There were no detection of electric current storage or distribution of importance.
On the basis of the previous thing there were not found sources of electric magnetic phenomenon’s by electric centrals or seismic movements. There were not found possibilities of any Ball of Fire effect caused by volcanic activity.
There were no registries of solar storms in that time or relevant solar explosions. Therefore the possibilities of ionization luminance effects like St. Elmo Fire or electric storms were discarded. Study and analysis elaborated by Rodolfo Garrido Cotham according to the Merlin C26A digital equipment data.
UFOs on video
As seen in the press release from Jaime Maussan, it is not the first time people have seen and filmed UFOs in Mexico. The many movies are gathered on two videotapes:
Messengers of Destiny: The first of the videos about the amazing lights in Mexico, including videos recorded during the solar eclipse in 1991. Several of the lights is really mysterious, and because of the eclipse the strange lights was observed and filmed by a lot of people. It is one of the most exciting film about UFOs seen in a long time.
Masters of the Stars: The video continues where “Messengers of Destiny” ended. Recordings of some of the most extensive and frequent UFO incidents in Mexico ever. Including shooting in daylight by an incident from the first January 1993, when three UFOs were filmed over a motorway – traffic went to a complete halt because of the mysterious lights. This video is just as exciting as “Messengers of Destiny”.
UFOs over Mexico – explanations?
Mexican scientists is cited for the following explanations for the incident on 5 March 2004:
‘Sociedad Astronomica Urania “in Morelos Province believes that many objects were weather balloons.
The Mexican astronomer Jose de la Herrán saying it was part of a meteorite that burned up.
Rafael Navarro from “Plasma Chemistry and Planetary Laboratory Study ‘on the UNAM Institute of Nuclear Science has said that it probably is a lot of space debris (satellite remnants, rocket remnants, etc.) that burned up in the atmosphere.
Julio Herrera, a nuclear physicist at the National Autonomous University, says that the glowing balls could be balls of lightning.
There are weaknesses in the above explanations: if these items were invisible to human eyes (remember, the crew couldn’t see the objects, at any time), how could they be balloons? Balloons are such a powerful heat source that might appear as flares at infra red film? Why was the crew unable to see the objects if they were really meteors, space debris or lightning balls?
At this point, the best explanation for the incident perhaps is, that the crew of the Merlin C26A met a group of U.S. stealth aircraft (eg F-117a) which was on a little excursion into Mexican airspace. It is said that the latest stealth aircraft are equipped with special light panels with infra red light, which is used when the radar-invisible aircraft is outside the hostile flight territory and needs to be seen by such a tanker plane, when to be refueled in the air.
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Sources and further reading:
www.sufoi.dk: http://www.sufoi.dk/
www.ufoevidence.org: http://www.ufoevidence.org/feature/MexicanAirForce.htm
FLIR Systems, Model Star Sapphire II: http://www.gs.flir.com/products/airborne/starsafireii.cfm
www.ufoupdateslist.com: http://www.ufoupdateslist.com/2004/may/m12-004.shtml
