[MER] LAT 38.02, LON 17.41 (INT) 21.06.1979

On 21 June 1979 at 22:25 local time, several sailors aboard a French Navy ship in the Ionian Sea, at 38°02′ N, 17°41′ E, saw a luminous phenomenon 15° above the horizon. A growing point of light suddenly split into 3 luminous parts whose intensity gradually decreased. The color changed from white to orange and back to white. The source gives the path as 'SW–East'. Moving at high speed, the phenomenon was watched for 1 minute. The sailors probably witnessed an atmospheric-entry event.