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A “possible” large meteorite was spotted in the Portuguese and Spanish skies late on Saturday night. The phenomenon described was reported at around 11.50pm and left those who saw it incredulous.
Witnesses across Portugal and Spain were left stunned after spotting what appeared to be a sizable meteorite illuminating the night sky on Saturday at approximately 11:50 pm. pic.twitter.com/DKfRvYP1U9
— Portugal Pulse (@PortugalPulse) May 19, 2024
According to reports on social media, the trail of light that crossed the atmosphere was visible over most of mainland Portugal, causing a flash of light wherever it passed, which seemed to turn day into night.
At dawn, Civil Protection deployed resources to the Castro Daire area, in the Viseu district, to respond to a “possible meteorite fall”, a source from the rescue organization told Lusa.
At around 2.45am, the search was called off and nothing was found. “At least during the night nothing has been found,” said a source from the Viseu Dão Lafões Sub-regional Command.
Six vehicles assisted by 20 operatives, from the GNR and the Castro Daire fire department, were in the Pereira area and the Montemuro mountain range, said the same source, saying that the resumption of patrols in the morning “is a possibility”, although “nothing has been decided”.