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URECAT - UFO Related Entities Catalog

URECAT is a formal catalog of UFO related entities sightings reports with the goal of providing quality information for accurate studies of the topic. Additional information, corrections and reviews are welcome at patrick.gross@inbox.com, please state if you wish to be credited for your contribution or not. The main page of the URECAT catalog is here.

OCTOBER 15, 1978, JARABA, ZARAGOZA, SPAIN, A MAN:

Brief summary of the event and follow-up:

This report came from Spanish ufologist J.L. Casero, and the best is to provide his 1980 article written with François Louange as it appeared in ufology magazines LDLN and FSR :

This close encounter case could only be studied superficially, which in principle should not justify a publication. However, we have to present it because of certain unusual details in the witness's report, and in particular the involvement of a taste sensation, which makes it potentially interesting for research.

The witness is a man around fifty, in the public eye, presently assuming official functions in Spain, who was pursued for his leftist ideology during the past regime. He had only mentioned his experience to one very intimate friend, having no interest in making it known in his professional entourage. It happened that this friend was also a friend of the co-author, J. L. Casero, and that during a conversation between the latter two on ufological research, this case of "close encounter of the third kind" was mentioned. It took the authors several months of patience, of phone calls through the common friend, as well as a long reassuring letter, to obtain from the witness a telephone interview, during which J. L. Casero could take note of the sequence of events.

Later, after new approaches, a short meeting was organized between the witness and J. L. Casero in a madrilenian bar. There, they re-read together, corrected and completed the written notes taken during the telephone interview. The witness drew a few sketches, but refused to give them away, so that nothing from his hand would remain from this first and last meeting; J. L. Casero had therefore to copy the sketches in the bar.

These details - which sound like an espionage novel - are only reported here in order to show to what extent the witness was little inclined to talk about his experience, accepting only under his friend's insistance. They explain why, now, the expectation of any additional cooperation can be excluded. On the other hand, the witness's personality and behaviour plead in favour of a high credibility.

The following report reflects all bits of information provided by the witness, without additions or deletions.

It took place around mid-October 1978 in Jaraba (province of Zaragoza, Spain) in the "Camino de la Hoz Seca," near "Pena Palomera," at the entrance of a canyon. Around 7 or 8 a.m., the witness was on his way to photograph nests of "Milopas" (a variety of eagles) with his Canon camera equipped with a 200 mm objective and loaded with Kodachrome film. The continuous cawing of crows could be heard. Suddenly, all became silent. He goes on walking, then positions himself between fences near a post for rabbit hunters. He mounts his camera with the teleobjective on the tripod, and focuses on the supposed nest. Surprised by reflections in the view finder, he looks around himself but does not notice anything abnormal. He then starts to hear a weak buzzing ("fusssss") which disappears suddenly, and turns once more to focus his camera.

After a while, he feels uneasy, with an impression of "metallic teeth" and the hair at the nape or his neck stands on end. The camera and his watch seem warm. He turns around and sees, at a distance of around 20 meters, a seemingly ovoidal object surrounded by small "antennas," for which he estimates a diameter of 5 metres by comparison with a Dodge (see fig. 1). There were also two "individuals" 1 m 90 or more tall, wearing blue-grey suits, apparently made of dull plastic, and tight belts. They seem to be blond. One of them is bent over a tube, apparently metallic, which enters the ground. The other one carries a box above which a sphere seems to float (see fig. 2). The 'fusssss", which had reappeared meanwhile, now stops. The tube carrier stands up and makes gestures to the witness, who stands up too and, while approaching a bit, feels an impression of heat. Speaking loudly, he asks the individuals whether they need help, but hears his own voice "distorted." A little afraid, he stops and asks them what they are doing. The individual goes on making gestures, and suddenly draws the tube out of the ground, "folds" it (is it telescopic? see fig. 3), and goes to the object with his companion.

The 'fusssss" now reappears louder and louder, and the witness starts feeling again, more intensely, the "electric" sensation in the nape of his neck and his mouth, as well as vibrations in the ground. He goes back to his camera. The object rises up about two metres, while the sound increases. The witness does not notice any air movement, or any visible thruster; however, from certain angles, he believes he can distinguish three circular spots on the underside of the object (see fig. 4). He has time to take 2 or 3 pictures, then the object rises once more and disappears. The 'fusssss" disappears at the same time, but the metallic taste in the mouth remains, and will last around 2 days. The witness does not notice traces, except a small funnel shaped hole in the ground, with a diameter of around 20 centimeters (see fig. 5).

Once developed, the film will appear completely fogged. The witness, who to date did not believe in UFOs, believes he has just seen one, but decides not to talk about it.

The reader will realise how frustrating it has been for the authors to have no possibility of making further study of this case, in which quite a few concrete and unusual pieces of information are reported: sensation of heat, metallic taste, distortion of sound, fogged film. With a more cooperative witness, it would have been mandatory to conduct an on-site investigation, to use hypnotic regression with a view to try and clarify many points of the story, to carry out a complete study of the state of the witness's teeth at the time of the event, to analyze the fogged film, and so on...

None of these have been done nor will it be possible to do them, and the only value of this "raw" report resides in possible correlations with other cases of similar characteristics. It is worth noting that in the same area and around the same period, several abduction cases, still under study, have been reported.

The article contained relevant sketches; which can be found in the file below.

Basic information table:

Case number: URECAT-001110
Date of event: October 15, 1978
Earliest report of event: 1980?
Delay of report: 1 year, 2 ears?
Witness reported via: Not known.
First alleged record by: N/A.
First certain record by: Report by investigator J.L Casero.
First alleged record type: N/A.
First certain record type: Report by investigator.
This file created on: December 15, 2011
This file last updated on: January 3, 2012
Country of event: Spain
State/Department: Zaragoza
Type of location: In the country, about a canyon.
Lighting conditions: Day.
UFO observed: Yes
UFO arrival observed: No
UFO departure observed: Yes
UFO/Entity Relation: Certain
Witnesses numbers: 1
Witnesses ages: About 50.
Witnesses types: Man, public figure, has official function, wanted no publicity.
Photograph(s): Allegedly, of the UFO, fogged, not available.
Witnesses drawing: No.
Witnesses-approved drawing: No.
Number of entities: 1
Type of entities: Humanoid or human
Entities height: 1.90 meters
Entities outfit type: Outfit looking like matt plastic, tight belts.
Entities outfit color: Blue-grey.
Entities skin color: Not reported.
Entities body: Not reported.
Entities head: Not reported.
Entities eyes: Two, large, black.
Entities mouth: Not reported.
Entities nose: Not reported.
Entities feet: Not reported.
Entities arms: Not reported.
Entities fingers: Not reported.
Entities fingers number: Not reported.
Entities hair: Apparently blond hairset.
Entities voice: None heard.
Entities actions: Were near UFO, busy with tube and box, see witness, gestured at witness, went back in, departure.
Entities/witness interactions: Gestured at witness.
Witness(es) reactions: Observed, asked what they were doing, took photographs of UFO, went.
Witness(es) feelings: A little frightened.
Witness(es) interpretation: Not reported.
Explanation category: Extraterrestrial visitors or invention.
Explanation certainty: High.

Narratives:

[Ref. lc1:] FRANCOIS LOUANGE AND J.L. CASTERO - FSR:

UNUSUAL ENCOUNTER IN JARABA, SPAIN

Possible CEIII Involving TASTE sensation by the witness

F. Louange & J. L. Casero

Dr. Louange, a French scientist, is computer manager at the satellite tracking station of the European Space Agency operating near Madrid from whence "...the IUE satellite is controlled, a telescope in geosynchronous orbit manoeuvred from the ground which downlinks images representing ultraviolet spectra."
J. L. Casero works for a Spanish company which is under contract to ESA, and he is head of the photo lab which is part of the computer division headed by Dr. Louange.
EDITOR

THIS close encounter case could only be studied superficially, which in principle should not justify a publication. However, we have to present it because of certain unusual details in the witness's report, and in particular the involvement of a taste sensation, which makes it potentially interesting for research.

The witness

This is a man around fifty, in the public eye, presently assuming official functions in Spain, who was pursued for his leftist ideology during the past regime. He had only mentioned his experience to one very intimate friend, having no interest in making it known in his professional entourage. It happened that this friend was also a friend of the co-author, J. L. Casero, and that during a conversation between the latter two on ufological research, this case of "close encounter of the third kind" was mentioned. It took the authors several months of patience, of phone calls through the common friend, as well as a long reassuring letter, to obtain from the witness a telephone interview, during which J. L. Casero could take note of the sequence of events.

Later, after new approaches, a short meeting was organized between the witness and J. L. Casero in a madrilenian bar. There, they re-read together, corrected and completed the written notes taken during the telephone interview. The witness drew a few sketches, but refused to give them away, so that nothing from his hand would remain from this first and last meeting; J. L. Casero had therefore to copy the sketches in the bar.

These details - which sound like an espionage novel - are only reported here in order to show to what extent the witness was little inclined to talk about his experience, accepting only under his friend's insistance. They explain why, now, the expectation of any additional cooperation can be excluded. On the other hand, the witness's personality and behaviour plead in favour of a high credibility.

The following report reflects all bits of information provided by the witness, without additions or deletions.

The experience

It took place around mid-October 1978 in Jaraba (province of Zaragoza, Spain) in the "Camino de la Hoz Seca," near "Pena Palomera," at the entrance of a canyon. Around 7 or 8 a.m., the witness was on his way to photograph nests of "Milopas" (a variety of eagles) with his Canon camera equipped with a 200 mm objective and loaded with Kodachrome film. The continuous cawing of crows could be heard. Suddenly, all became silent. He goes on walking, then positions himself between fences near a post for rabbit hunters. He mounts his camera with the teleobjective on the tripod, and focuses on the supposed nest. Surprised by reflections in the view finder, he looks around himself but does not notice anything abnormal. He then starts to hear a weak buzzing ("fusssss") which disappears suddenly, and turns once more to focus his camera.

After a while, he feels uneasy, with an impression of "metallic teeth" and the hair at the nape or his neck stands on end. The camera and his watch seem warm. He turns around and sees, at a distance of around 20 meters, a seemingly ovoidal object surrounded by small "antennas," for which he estimates a diameter of 5 metres by comparison with a Dodge (see fig. 1). There

[Sketch caption:] Figure 1: The object on the ground.

[Sketch caption:] Figure 2: Sphere floating above the box.

were also two "individuals" 1 m 90 or more tall, wearing blue-grey suits, apparently made of dull plastic, and tight belts. They seem to be blond. One of them is bent over a tube, apparently metallic, which enters the ground. The other one carries a box above which a sphere seems to float (see fig. 2). The 'fusssss", which had reappeared meanwhile, now stops. The tube carrier stands up and makes gestures to the witness, who stands up too and, while approaching a bit, feels an impression of heat. Speaking loudly, he asks the individuals whether they need help, but hears his own voice "distorted." A little afraid, he stops and asks them what they are doing. The individual goes on making gestures, and suddenly draws the tube out of the ground, "folds" it (is it telescopic? see fig. 3), and goes to the object with his companion.

The 'fusssss" now reappears louder and louder, and the witness starts feeling again, more intensely, the "electric" sensation in the nape of his neck and his mouth, as well as vibrations in the ground. He goes back to his camera. The object rises up about two metres, while the sound increases. The witness does not notice any air movement, or any visible thruster; however, from certain angles, he believes he can distinguish three circular spots on the underside of the object (see fig. 4). He has time to take 2 or 3 pictures, then the object rises once more and disappears. The 'fusssss" disappears at the same time, but the metallic taste in the mouth remains, and will last around 2 days. The witness does not notice traces, except a small funnel shaped hole in the ground, with a diameter of around 20 centimeters (see fig. 5).

Once developed, the film will appear completely fogged. The witness, who to date did not believe in UFOs, believes he has just seen one, but decides not to talk about it.

Conclusion

The reader will realise how frustrating it has been for the authors to have no possibility of making further study of this case, in which quite a few concrete and unusual pieces of information are reported: sensation of heat, metallic taste, distortion of sound, fogged film. With a more cooperative witness, it would have been mandatory to conduct an on-site investigation, to use hypnotic regression with a view to try and clarify many points of the story, to carry out a complete study of the state of the witness's teeth at the time of the event, to analyze the fogged film, and so on...

None of these have been done nor will it be possible to do them, and the only value of this "raw" report resides in possible correlations with other cases of similar characteristics. It is worth noting that in the same area and around the same period, several abduction cases, still under study, have been reported.

[Ref. lc2:] FRANCOIS LOUANGE AND J.L. CASTERO:

These ufologists say that it is a close encounter of the 3rd kind case that was be studied only very superficially, "which in theory would not justify its publication", but that they make a point of publishing it because of unusual details in the witness report, in particular the implication of a gustatory feeling, which "makes it potentially interesting for research."

They indicate that the witness is a public figure aged about 50, who currently exerts official functions in Spain, and who was sued during the Old Regime for his leftist ideology. He had spoken about his experience only to one very intimate friend because he had no interest to let it be known to his professional entourage.

This friend was also the friend of J.L. Casero, and during a conversation between them about ufological research, the case was mentioned. After several months of patience, phone calls via the common friend, and a long reassuring letter, the witness accepted a telephone conversation, during which J.L. Casero was able to note down the occurrence.

Later, after more steps, there was a short meeting between the witness and J.L. Casero in a bar in Madrid, where they read again, supplemented and corrected together the notes taken during the telephone conversation. The witness made some sketches but refused to give them, so that there was no hard copy of his implication. J L. Casero had thus made copies of the sketches in the bar.

The authors insist on the fact that that this is only reported to show that the witness was not eager to give publicity to his experience, and in addition they say that both his personality and attitude is in favour of a strong credibility.

About mid-October 1978 towards 7 or 8 a.m., in Spain, province of Saragossa, in Jaraba in the "Camino de la Hoz Seca" close to Pena Palomera and at the entry of a valley, the witness was going to photograph pyguarge eagles nests with a Canon camera provided with a 20 mm objective and loaded with Kodachrome film.

Cawing of craws were constantly heard, and then suddenly silence came over.

He continued to walk, then stopped between hedges beside a rabbit hunters station. He mounted the apparatus with its teleobjective on a tripod and pointed it in the direction where he believed to have located a nest.

Surprised by reflections in the camera sight, he looked around but noticed nothing unusual. He then heard a weak "FUSSSSS" sound which disappeared quickly, and he resumed setting up his camera.

After a while, he felt uneasy, with an impression of "metallic teeth", and the hair at the back of his neck rose. The camera and his watch seemed to be hot.

He looked behind and sas at approximately 20 meters a more or less ovoid object surrounded by small "antennas", he estimates the diameter to be 5 meters by comparing it with a Dodge car (see fig. 1), and two "figures" of 1.90 meters or more, wearing bluish-gray clothes, that resembled matt plastic, and adjusted belts. They appeared to have blonde hair on the head.

One of them was bent down on a tube of metallic aspect that penetrated the ground. The other carried a box above which a sphere seems to float (see fig. 2). The "FUSSSSS" sound, which had reappeared meanwhile, stopped. The carrier of the tube stood up and made gestures at the witness who also stood up and, while approaching, he felt an impression of heat.

In a loud voice, he asked the figures whether they need assistance, but hears the sound of his own voice "distorted". A bit frightened, he stops and asks them what they are doing. The figure continues to make gestures at him, then suddenly takes the tube out, "folds" it (telescopic? see fig. 3) and moves towards the craft with his companion.

The "FUSSSSS" sound returns, increasingly strong, and the witness feels again, more intensely than before, the "electric" feeling in the back of the neck and the mouth, as well as vibrations in the ground.

He goes back to his camera. The object rises approximately two meters, while the sound volume increases. The witness notices neither air volume displacement nor apparent exhaust; under certain angles, he however believes to distinguish three circular spots under the object (fig. 4).

He has time to take 2 or 3 photographs, then the object rises more and disappears. The "FUSSSSS" sound disappears at the same time but the metallic taste in his mouth persists, and it will last approximately 2 days. The witness does not observe traces except for a small hole in the ground in the shape of a funnel and approximately 20 centimetres in diameter (fig. 5).

Once developed, the film roll will appear entirely fogged. The witness who did not believe in UFOs before, now believes he saw one of them, but decides not to talk about it.

The authors finish with regrets not to have been able to look further into the case.

Fig.

Fig. 1: the object on the ground.

Fig.

Fig. 2: sphere floating about the "box".

Fig.

Fig. 3: the tube (a) unfolded (b) folded.

Fig.

Fig. 4: the object takes off. (a) three spots seen under that angle; (b) spots not visible.

Fig.

Fig. 5: conical hole in the ground.

[Ref. gd1:] GEOFF DITTMANN:

Witness: Man

Location: Jaraba, Zaragoza, Spain

Date: October, 1978

Time: Morning

The witness observed a landed craft and several blond humanoids. The man (unsuccessfully) tried to communicate with the beings. He suffered for several days afterward from a metallic taste in his mouth. (Davenport, Visitors From Time p.67)

[Ref. ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:

Albert Rosales indicates in his catalogue that in Jaraba, Zaragoza, Spain, on October 15, 1978, at 0730 a.m., the witness was alone in a wooded area attempting to photograph eagle nests when suddenly all sounds in the area ceased. The witness then began walking and heard a weak whistling sound; he then began to feel nauseated with a metallic taste in his mouth. His wristwatch felt hot to the touch. He turned around and saw in clearing a metallic dome shaped craft whose perimeter was surrounded by antennae like protrusions. Next to the object stood two very tall men wearing blue gray outfits and wide tight belts. Both had blond hair. One was leaning over a metallic tube apparently stuck on the ground. The other carried a box with a small sphere on top. The one holding the tube motioned to the witness to approach. The witness felt a heat wave as he approached the two men, frightened he stopped and yelled at them, and strangely he heard his voice in a weird distorted manner. The two men then walked over to the object and boarded it. The whistling sound now became stronger and the witness felt and electric shock on the back of his neck and strange vibrations on the ground. The craft lifted up and flew out of sight as the whistling sound increased. The witness managed to take a photograph of the objects as it departed. A hole was found on the ground at the scene.

Albert Rosales indicates that the source is "Ballester Olmos and Fernandez Peri, Enciclopedia de Los Encuentros Cercanos con Ovnis".

[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

Donald Johnson says that on October 15, 1978, at 7:30 a.m. a 50-year-old important Communist Party politician was alone in a wooded area in Jaraba, Zaragoza, Spain attempting to photograph some eagle nests, when suddenly all sounds in the area ceased. He then began walking and next heard a weak whistling sound. He started to feel nauseated with a metallic taste in his mouth, and his wristwatch felt hot to the touch. When he turned around, he saw in clearing a 5 meter metallic dome-shaped craft whose perimeter was which surrounded by small antennae like protrusions. Next to the object stood two very tall men, 1.90 meters in height, with blond hair wearing blue-gray outfits and wide belts. One was leaning over a metallic tube apparently stuck on the ground. The other carried a box with a small sphere on top. The one holding the tube motioned to the witness to approach. The man felt a wave of heat as he approached to within 20 meters, so he stopped and frightened, yelled at them. He heard his own voice in a strange, weirdly distorted manner. The two UFOnauts then walked back over to the object and got aboard. The whistling sound now intensified and the witness felt an electric shock on the back of his neck and strange vibrations on the ground. The craft lifted up and flew out of sight while the whistling sound increased. He managed to take a photograph of the object as it departed, and a hole was found in the ground at the scene. UFO investigators found the witness to be well qualified but uncooperative, seeking to avoid publicity.

The indicated sources are: "David F. Webb & Ted Bloecher, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports, case # A2174; Albert S. Rosales, Humanoid Contact Database 1978, case # 101, citing Vicente-Juan Ballester Olmos & Fernandez Peri, Enciclopedia de Los Encuentros Cercanos con Ovnis."

[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that in October 1978 at 07:30 in Jaraba, Spain, " Communist Politician incident." And: "5m long ovoid surrounded by small 'antennas', three spots underneath. Minimum distance 20m. two beings, 1.9m tall, wore blue-gray suits. Well qualified witness, but seeking to avoid publicity, uncooperative."

And: "One ovoid object, about 20 feet across, about fifty feet away, was observed by one male 50-year-old witness in a canyon. Two 6.3-foot-tall tall beings, each wearing blue-gray suits, were seen."

The sources are indicated as Webb, David, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002; Smith, Willy, UNICAT computer database.

Points to consider:

The authors of the report provided their comments, which seem reasonable.

What worries me the most with the report - in addition to the regrets expressed by the authors - is that the figures are only very summarily described. There are skecthes for almost everything, except for these beings.

The meager description of these UFO occupants would almost make me think that these "aliens" look quite like normal human people, that they are even familiar, with their blond hair, in the sense that they evoke the tall blonde human-looking UFO occupants so often described by the so-called "contactees" - liars actually - George Adamski and the likes...

All things considered, the credibility of the case, which seems to benefit from the fact that the witness did not seek personal publicity whereas "contactees" are obviously publicity-seekers, is reduced by the fact that the witness is a single witness, but in my opinion also by the fact of this near silence on the perhaps too human looks of the reported "extraterrestrials".

List of issues:

Id: Topic: Severity: Date noted: Raised by: Noted by: Description: Proposal: Status:
1 Data Severe December 15, 2011 Patrick Gross Patrick Gross Primary source not available. Help needed. Opened.
2 Ufology Severe December 15, 2011 Patrick Gross Patrick Gross . Help needed. Opened.
3 Ufology Severe December 15, 2011 Patrick Gross Patrick Gross . Help needed. Opened.

Evaluation:

Extraterrestrial visitors or invention.

Sources references:

* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.

Document history:

Authoring

Main Author: Patrick Gross
Contributors: None
Reviewers: None
Editor: Patrick Gross

Changes history

Version: Created/Changed By: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross December 15, 2011 Creation, [lc2], [lc1], [dj1], [ar1], [ud1].
1.0 Patrick Gross December 15, 2011 First published.
1.1 Patrick Gross January 3, 2012 Addition, [gd1].

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