I read this thread with great interest. I'm not convinced that it were oilflares as of yet, but it does seem the best theory (or hypothesis as some prefer calling it) for the moment. But what's for sure, a lot more is known about the incident than at the time Maussan gave his briefing, with the advantage of having been able to study the material and present only portions of it, thus enforcing his own interprtation at the time.
I reread it after reading this thread and other sources, and I thought it might be interesting to go through it again, this time armed with almost the same objective information the writer of the press conference had.
It does seem that some parts of the transcript that Patricio excellently translated are different than his? Maybe, different ones should be compared, as someone suggested before.
taken from
http://www.ufoevidence.org/photographs/slideshow/page/2
JAIME MAUSSAN'S PRESS BRIEFING DOCUMENT:
As the Merlin C26A tried to approach the unknown traffic to make a visual identification it suddenly in a surprising maneuver escaped flying away at tremendous speed.
No tremendous speed that conventional aircraft are incapable of, were ever recorded. Furthermore, they speak only of "It's a sudden change" And as wipeout mentioned earlier even after that he stills says that it could be a heli... or something. They don't seem particularly impressed with the readings at all.
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 maneuver of the unknown.
"Very fast" seems to imply, faster than a human plane can follow. This is not evident from the recorded speeds and the only thing the crew says about is: "We can't do much else with the fuel we have" Which seems to indicate a fuel-shortage problem and not a power/speed problem.
However the C26A still have not made visual contact with the unknown object.
Which they don't seem to find strange at all: [Just above us] [That's why I didn't see it]
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.
From here on the objects on the FLIR and the RADAR are treated as one, whereas it seems clear now, that only the first (very possibly a plane) object ever had both a FLIR and RADAR registration.We all know now how important the distinction between FLIR and RADAR is. Because if they are not detecting the same objects, almost nothing can be said about speed, altitude and distance of the FLIR objects.
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.
"adding a great suspense"? Is he writing a novel that builds up the tension? The crew sounds perfectly calm, only interested.
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.
It is not possible to measure exact movement with the FLIR, nor if they keep distance nor if it is following the plane, in fact they don't seem to follow at all according to the video, they areflying parallel at best. These things can only be guessed by the observer. "Every movement made" is highly suggestive of the infrared objects making all sorts of sudden moves, which is absolutely not the case if you watch the video.
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.
They sound mostly eager and amused.
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.
Dramatic? Nightmare? The transcript ends with them laughing about the moon and feeling generally amused with what they saw.
Some minutes passed while the Mexican Air Force Merlin C26A crew continued making maneuvers 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.
Again, it is not known how far or how high the FLIR objects were, since these were never seen by radar. So it is incorrect to speak about them as if they were linked. So it is impossible to say that the FLIR objects were "by this time at close range", suggesting that they were approaching, which isn't visible at all in the footage. Furthermore the radarobjects, whose distance were measured, came 2 miles at its closest, which isn't that close at all, the report (although wisely no distance is mentioned) seems to suggest something much closer.
It was during this round and round maneuvers 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.
Arrived? As if they were seen flying in? It is clear from the video that they could have been invisible up till then to the FLIR because of all the clouds.
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.
Wisely formulated but still too suggestive that ALL objects were seen by both radar and FLIR, which still isn't true. For the FLIR objects only visible characteristics could be called the "same", since the FLIR still can't take exact measurements. The subjective term "arrived" is used again.
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.
"high level of danger" seems exagerated. I don't see him contacting his base at all in the transcript? Only for the first object?
But the most bizarre thing was that even though there were eleven unknown objects close to them, still the crew couldn?t see them,
Again, the FLIR objects were not seen by radar, so it is impossible to know if they were close, only the radar objects, but they are named as one again. Also again: 2 miles isn't that close.
no visual contact with the unknowns was possible for some reason never experienced before by these high trained men.
He's writing a novel again. Apparently mexicans are trained at high places.
However the high tech sophisticated equipment and sensors were not lying, there were eleven targets outside them with unpredictable intentions.
If you don't what something is, it seems a bit premature to talk about "intentions".
At the middle of a complete confusion and disconcert among the C26A crew the unknown objects suddenly made a maneuver 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.
This is again incorrect, the FLIR objects and radar objects are not seen by both. So it is impossible to know if they were suddenly at close range encircling the plane. From the video footage it is clear that the FLIR objects themselves were not encircling the plane at all. Also again the closest the measured radar objects came was 2 miles. In this case it seems inapproriate to speak of "close range". Encircling doesn't seem an approriate term either with a 2 miles radius.
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.
The situation was never out of control, in fact this is the point where they laugh about the moon. I don't see Jasso reporting a red alert at all? The suggestion that he even reported "objects camouflaged with a certain unknown advanced technology" seems totally fantasized, if the transcript is translated completely here. It seems rather unlikely IF he did contact the base that he would already use such a desciption. I wonder if Maussan is basing all this on subjective interviews with the crew rather than an actual objective transcript, the latter of which we seem to have a slightly different version of.
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.
This is a bit inconsistent. "Nightmare" and "out of control", don't go together with "calm". Perhaps he realized he couldn't keep portraying the crew as panicking, because that would diminish the credibility of their reports and sightings. So suddenly they are capable calm persons who are in total control of the situation.
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.
Well, I guess we are indeed missing a piece of the transscipt? I don't see it on the 30 minute video either?
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.
Irrelevant, sounds like a personal "told you so" speech from a frustrated man. If a government is going to share information, than that is something totally different than acknowledging it is a "reality" (suggesting that some ufo's must be saucers) just that there are cases that are YET unknown. It is -by definition- impossible to prove that something is a UFO. It is a status in which a report is in, not a solid designation.
i m sorry i was in doubt and called your theory silly. reason was that i was sure that someone at the air"force" should have known those oil facilitys and recognize them as the ufos, before they go public. probably a case of "wantobelieve" from my side.
