[meteorite-list] Fireball Seen Over New Zealand

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 28 Jan 2007 19:31:39 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <200701290331.TAA28422_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3944228a11.html
  
Mystery remains around 'plane' seen in Waikato
By YVONNE TAHANA
Waikato Times (New Zealand)
29 January 2007

Grace Walters thought the fireball she saw yesterday afternoon was
heading for her Te Kauwhata home.

She was one of a number of people who said they saw a fireball over Lake
Waikare in northern Waikato, but this morning the search was called off
for a possible plane crash. Yesterday, two golfers reported seeing an
explosion and a fiery crash over the lake while another motorist thought
the fireball was a meteorite.

About 50 members of the police, fire service and the Papakura Coastguard
were called to the area just before 4pm but despite a ground and air
search nothing was found.

The absence of any new information overnight indicating that a plane had
crashed, led to the search being called off.

Mrs Walters' home overlooks the golf course.

She was on the telephone to a friend in her kitchen and looking out a
window when she saw the "fireball".

"There was smoke up above it and it was coming down, and it appeared
just to drop," she said. "I told my friend it was coming straight for my
house."

The episode took about 20 seconds but it was too hard to tell what it
was, she said.

A Rescue Co-ordination Centre New Zealand (RCCNZ) spokesperson said it
was unclear what the fireball was.
Received on Sun 28 Jan 2007 10:31:39 PM PST