Papers d'Ovnis - 1a epoca - No 11

Magazine Overview

Title: Papers d'OVNIS
Issue: Number 11
Date: November 1994
Publisher: Centre d'Estudis Interplanetaris (CEI)
Language: Catalan (with Spanish content)

This issue of Papers d'OVNIS, a bulletin from the Centre d'Estudis Interplanetaris, delves into UFO phenomena with a primary focus on a sighting in southern Palencia in 1990. It also includes an editorial on the perceived lack of technological evolution in UFOs compared to Earth's advancements, a section on misidentified phenomena, and reviews of other UFO-related publications.

OVNI in the South of Palencia in 1990

The lead story details a significant UFO sighting that occurred on September 11, 1990, in Cevico de la Torre, Palencia. Gregorio Merino Zamora, a 68-year-old farmer, reported seeing a strange object in broad daylight while walking along a road. He described it as very bright, shining intensely like car headlights at night, and hovering at a low altitude. He noted it made no noise and kicked up no dust.

Merino initially described the object as small, then larger as it approached, estimating its height at around three meters. He observed it moving back and forth, spinning, and described its colors as partly light and partly greenish-blue. He also mentioned seeing what appeared to be black cables inside and that the object seemed to move in a logical, non-erratic manner.

Merino stopped two cars to show the object to their drivers, hoping to find corroborating witnesses. The second witness, Vicente Medina Calleja, an industrialist from Cevico de la Torre, confirmed seeing the object. He described it as globe-shaped, rising to a considerable height, then returning and appearing to land briefly on stubble before ascending again and heading towards Valle del Cerrato. He stated it disappeared at a certain altitude and was not seen again. Medina described the object's colors as blue and a light wood color, with a moderately strong shine but no visible lights. He emphasized that it was smooth, maintained verticality, and left no trace.

Another anonymous witness, detained by Merino, described seeing an elliptical object with considerable brightness. This witness's father mentioned observing two F-18s and a Mirage aircraft flying in formation from Tariego to Valle de Cerrato that day.

The article notes that the Spanish Air Force confirmed that two F-18s and a Hercules aircraft were conducting aerial refueling operations in the area on September 11, starting around 10:30 AM, which is a normal procedure. However, they did not rule out the existence of the strange object.

A provincial analysis of UFO sightings in Palencia indicates a low density of population, with most cases occurring in the southern part of the province. The issue highlights that out of 22 recorded observations in Palencia, 6 involved landings or low-altitude movements, and three had effects on witnesses or pursued vehicles. The analysis maps out the distribution of these cases, noting that Cevico de la Torre is in the southern region where several sightings have occurred.

Editorial: Important Contradiction OVNI

Joan Crexell's editorial discusses the perceived technological gap between UFOs and Earth's advancements. He argues that historically, UFOs often appeared technologically superior to their contemporary Earth counterparts (e.g., the 1704 Barcelona sighting). However, in the 20th century, especially since 1947, while Earth's technology has rapidly advanced (satellites, computers, etc.), UFOs seem to have remained largely unchanged in appearance, maneuverability, and behavior. Crexell finds this lack of parallel technological evolution a significant contradiction, suggesting UFOs have become "mummified" and less spectacular compared to their earlier manifestations. He questions what the 21st-century equivalent of the 1345 'Mysterious Light of Manresa' might be, and posits that Earth may soon equal UFO technology.

Attention to False UFOs

Authored by Joan Plana, this section addresses the common issue of misidentifying conventional objects or natural phenomena as UFOs. The author emphasizes the necessity of meticulous investigation to distinguish genuine anomalies from misinterpretations. The article presents a non-exhaustive list of phenomena that have led to misidentifications in Spain during 1993 and 1994. Examples include:

• 1993: A bright blue-green meteor (bó lido), ball lightning, re-entry of a rocket stage, a staged abduction hoax, laser light shows in Barcelona, a weather balloon, a dirigible with luminous advertising, a possible Army helicopter, and a parhelion (mock sun).
• 1994: A meteor disintegrating in the atmosphere, electrical discharges causing a red glow, and another meteor with a luminous trail.

Plana notes that a lack of essential information often hinders analysis, but acknowledges that a residue of unexplained sightings always remains. He also mentions the case of the Roswell crash, which was initially treated as a classic UFO incident but later explained by the USAF.

De otras fuentes: Avión Revue - Strange Objects

This section reproduces an article by Eduardo Cuadrado from "Avión Revue" detailing three classified UFO cases investigated by the Spanish Air Force. These cases are presented as having no reasonable explanation.

1. November 11, 1979: A TAE Caravelle aircraft flying from Palma de Mallorca to Tenerife diverted to Valencia due to unexplained red lights accompanying the plane for several minutes. These lights were also observed by ground personnel.
2. November 17, 1979: A Mirage F-1 aircraft from Albacete scrambled to investigate an unknown radar echo. The object disappeared, and the pilot later observed three lights forming a triangle but could not identify them. During the flight, the pilot experienced significant radio interference and continuous signals on his aircraft's alert system.
3. November 28, 1979: Civil control reported two strange objects over Madrid. An F-4 aircraft scrambled and detected multiple radar echoes and alert signals but could not identify the objects. Notably, the pilot reported hearing children's laughter on the radio frequency for about thirty seconds, which is speculated to be interference with a telephone line.

The commentary section notes that the first two cases were widely reported, while the third is less known. It also mentions other UFO sightings reported across Spain on November 28, 1979, including in Cádiz, Castro Caldelas, Granada, and the Sierra de Ricote.

De otras fuentes: Espacio y Tiempo - Two Articles to Highlight

This section reviews two articles from the October issue of "Espacio y Tiempo" magazine:

1. "The Case of the Crashed Plane Nobody Claimed" by Ricardo Campo and Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos: This article discusses an incident on July 9, 1992, where an object resembling a crashed plane fell into the sea off Abades, Tenerife. Despite extensive searches, no wreckage was found. The Spanish Air Force conducted no exercises, and no airline reported a missing aircraft. The authors suggest it could be a "presumed plane of unknown origin" or an "Unidentified Flying Object."
2. "New Blunder in the Declassification of UFO Reports" by Marcelino Requejo Alonso: This article re-examines the Becerreá (Lugo) case from April 2, 1969, where a witness described a "manned spaceship" resembling a shell. Requejo reinvestigated the case in 1994 and questions the transparency of the UFO report declassification process.

Three New Bulletins on the OVNI Topic

The magazine introduces three new Spanish bulletins dedicated to UFO research:

• Frontera Científica: Based in the Canary Islands, this is the most recent and well-presented bulletin, covering topics beyond UFOs, such as history, archaeology, and parapsychology. It aims to find answers to mysteries and expects UFOs to be a frequent topic due to their incidence in the Canary Islands.
• CIPNO (Circular Parascientífica del Noroeste): From Vigo, this bulletin has been publishing for three years but experienced a long silence. The received issue (No. 10, June) focuses on UFO sightings in Galicia, many of which were identified as false.
• El Ojo Crítico (Independent Informative Circular on Anomalous Phenomena): This bulletin from La Coruña is dedicated entirely to UFOs in its October issue. It covers cases like the "Amauri Rivera" case (a fraud), "OVNIS" crashed in Spain, a comic about UMMO, and discussions on Nazi flying saucers, identified UFOs, and the Billy Meier contactee case.

These bulletins are described as simple publications that help invigorate the less commercial landscape of ufological publications in the Iberian Peninsula.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around specific UFO sightings, particularly the Palencia case, and the broader analysis of UFO phenomena. There's a strong emphasis on distinguishing genuine unexplained events from misidentifications, as highlighted in the "Attention to False UFOs" section and the review of other publications. The editorial stance, particularly in Joan Crexell's piece, suggests a critical perspective on the perceived static nature of UFO technology relative to human advancement, questioning the traditional narrative of UFOs as consistently superior. The magazine also engages with the concept of UFO investigations, including declassification processes and the challenges faced by researchers. The inclusion of reviews for other UFO bulletins indicates an effort to connect with and support the wider ufological community in Spain.